Networking: Defining Landscape Democracy - International Conference June 2015

Project summary Max 2000 ch. The current project in MILJØ2015, LAND titled: Ideals, models and practice in natural resource management includes a multidisciplinary group of researchers aiming at developing new knowledge on local management models. Included in this project's research questions are: - the forms of local management approaches in international literature; - the advantages and drawbacks of different models; - the extent to which local management is able to resolve conflicts and find a sustainable balance between protection and Development; - an investigation into the ways in which new and dynamic models based on adaptive management could improve local management, sustainable development and participation. Issues of local participation in sustainable management and development of landscapes are pertinent to the theme of the forthcoming conference organised by NMBU 'Defining Landscape Democracy'. One particular stream in the conference will focus on 'Participatory landscape approaches to territorial development and regional planning' is very relevant to this LAND project. Research on Landscape Democracy is an emerging research arena that is gaining much significance internationally. In Europe, the European Landscape Convention (ELC) has laid the foundation for ongoing scientific research and scholarly discourse on the matter. The forthcoming conference is a collaboration with UNISCAPE, the European network of universities for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention (http://www.uniscape.eu). The conference will include scientists and scholars of national and international calibre with whom researchers from this project as well as the participating partners in this application will network to explore avenues for partnerships in HORIZON2020 applications.