TY - JOUR

T1 - A tale of two protected areas

T2 - “value and nature conservation” in comparable national parks in Estonia and Russia

AU - Järv, Henri

AU - Shkaruba, Anton

AU - Likhacheva, Olga

AU - Kireyeu, Viktar

AU - Ward, Raymond

AU - Sepp, Kalev

N1 - Järv, H.; Shkaruba, A.; Likhacheva, O.; Kireyeu, V.; Ward, R.; Sepp, K. A Tale of Two Protected Areas: “Value and Nature Conservation” in Comparable National Parks in Estonia and Russia. Land 2021, 10, 274. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10030274

PY - 2021/3/8

Y1 - 2021/3/8

N2 - This study explores how local communities reflect on institutional frameworks and protected area governance in two national parks (NPs) with similar nature values in Estonia and Russia, and aims to understand the role of value systems in these interactions. It is based on 50 in-depth interviews with a broad range of stakeholders, and a desktop analysis of relevant regulation and plans. Interview questions reflect on various aspects of well-being (including fairness of governance solutions), awareness of NPs’ function and restrictions, related value aspects, and covered basic personal data needed to interpret the interviews. The study reconfirms the pivotal role of social justice as a driver of wellbeing. In particular, it articulates the significance of value systems playing the role of filters between governance inputs and specific management activities of communities. It underlines the vulnerability of such systems at a community level, most of all to the impacts related to various instances of “centralization”. They are manifested through the choice of restrictive measures and top-down arrangements at the expense of transparency and inclusiveness (in Russia), as well as through the removal of governance autonomy from NPs and transferring monitoring and enforcement functions to local communities without clear mandates or sufficient capacity (in Estonia).

AB - This study explores how local communities reflect on institutional frameworks and protected area governance in two national parks (NPs) with similar nature values in Estonia and Russia, and aims to understand the role of value systems in these interactions. It is based on 50 in-depth interviews with a broad range of stakeholders, and a desktop analysis of relevant regulation and plans. Interview questions reflect on various aspects of well-being (including fairness of governance solutions), awareness of NPs’ function and restrictions, related value aspects, and covered basic personal data needed to interpret the interviews. The study reconfirms the pivotal role of social justice as a driver of wellbeing. In particular, it articulates the significance of value systems playing the role of filters between governance inputs and specific management activities of communities. It underlines the vulnerability of such systems at a community level, most of all to the impacts related to various instances of “centralization”. They are manifested through the choice of restrictive measures and top-down arrangements at the expense of transparency and inclusiveness (in Russia), as well as through the removal of governance autonomy from NPs and transferring monitoring and enforcement functions to local communities without clear mandates or sufficient capacity (in Estonia).

KW - Cultural landscapes

KW - Estonia

KW - Governance of protected areas

KW - Local communities

KW - Management of protected areas

KW - National parks

KW - Post-Soviet

KW - Russia

KW - Wellbeing

KW - governance of protected areas

KW - post-Soviet

KW - local communities

KW - management of protected areas

KW - cultural landscapes

KW - wellbeing

KW - national parks

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103055306&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/712e6931-734f-3132-ba01-5d020f3e5cfa/

U2 - 10.3390/land10030274

DO - 10.3390/land10030274

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85103055306

VL - 10

JO - Land

JF - Land

SN - 2073-445X

IS - 3

M1 - 274

ER -