Siitonen, P., Tabarelli, M. & Santos, A. 2008.

Enriching Dynamics for Sustainable Conservation of the Atlantic Forests in Northeast Brazil. University of Helsinki Tropical Forestry Reports 36:77-78. Enriching dynamics for sustainable conservation of the Atlantic forests in North-East Brazil Paula Siitonen1, Marcello Tabarelli and Andr Santos 1 University of Helsinki, e-mail: paula.siitonen@helsinki.fi, tel. +358-400-993826 Address: Huvilakatu 20-22 C 21, FIN-00150 Helsinki, Finland We applied an interactive approach to support the development of enriching collaboration and sustainable landscapes in the Atlantic forests in North-East Brazil (Siitonen et al. 2007; Siitonen 2007). This 56,400 km2 region is a distinctive centre of species endemism (Silva and Tabarelli 2000). The remaining 3% of the forests consists of small fragments. According to Silva and Tabarelli (2000), a landscape composed of interconnected fragments of thousands of hectares is needed for key species survival. A sustainable landscape can be achieved only if the strategy is developed with different stakeholders (Tabarelli et al. 2004). We see a participatory process as the interactions of individuals, groups and organizations in complex human and natural environments. In addition to facts, people react to the ways the process is carried out, i.e. ways and timing of interaction. These reactions, interrelated with the emotions, attitudes, beliefs, values and histories, affect the success of the outcomes. The aim of the process is to develop a common goal and innovative and sustainable ways to reach it. Initially, the idea is to create positive trust and sustainable, self-enriching collaboration by using dialogue and avoiding conflict-orientated thinking and behaviour. Highly connected groups with positive interactions generate complex dynamics, which favors creativity, innovations and sustainability through time (Losada 1999). To facilitate this, people are led to understand themselves as responsible actors in the system (Siitonen & Hmlinen 2004). The development of goals and ways towards them, and the analyses of peoples interactions are carried out avoiding an initial stereotyping of people and their interests. In 2005 the approach was first applied to the project team. After that it was applied to some stakeholders. Initially, the process and each workshop were introduced as collaborative learning towards mutual benefits. The facilitator (P. Siitonen) led participants to define a shared dream of a desired future. A system analysis was carried out to help people understand themselves as responsible actors in the system. In facilitated sessions, the shared dreams were structured together into fundamental goals and into means objectives and criteria. We created and evaluated strategy alternatives interactively using e.g. decision analysis, non-linear spatial models (Siitonen et al. 2002) and GIS. The process was evaluated in terms of what was and was not created. In 20062007 the approach was applied in the nature resource management in Finland.

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Siitonen, P., Tabarelli, M. & Santos, A. 2008. Enriching Dynamics for Sustainable Conservation of the Atlantic Forests in Northeast Brazil. University of Helsinki Tropical Forestry Reports 36:77-78. Keywords: complex systems, Atlantic forest, interactive planning, conservation References Losada, M. 1999. The Complex Dynamics of High Performing Teams. The Mathematical and Computer Modeling 30:172-192. Siitonen, P., Hmlinen R.P. 2004. From conflict management to systems intelligence in forest conservation decision making. In Systems intelligence Discovering hidden competence in human actions and organizational life, R.P. Hmlinen and E. Saarinen (Eds.), Systems Analysis Laboratory Research Reports A88:199-214. Siitonen, P., Tanskanen, A., Lehtinen, A. 2002. Method for selection of old-forest reserves. Conservation Biology 16:1398-1408. Siitonen, P. 2007. Self-enriching dynamics in nature resource management, ms. Siitonen, P., Tabarelli, M. & Santos, A. 2007. Enriching dynamics for sustainable conservation of the Atlantic Forests in Northeast Brazil. Silva, J. M. C., Tabarelli, M. 2000. Tree species impoverishment and the future flora of the Atlantic forest of northeast Brazil. Nature 404:72-74. Tabarelli, M., Silva, J. M. C. , Cascon C. 2004. Forest fragmentation, synergism and the impoverishment of neotropical forests. Biodiversity and Conservation 13:1419-1425.

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