NCJ Number
101898
Journal
Environmental Impact Assessment Review Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: (1985) Pages: 341-356
Date Published
1985
Length
16 pages
Annotation
An analysis of four cases involving the U.S. Forest Service's experience with complex environmental decisionmaking shows that collaborative decisionmaking among the involved parties is more likely to reduce costly and lengthy conflicts.
Abstract
The first two cases -- the Forest Service Roadless Area Review and Evaluation process and the national forest planning process -- produced conflict in the wake of agency decisionmaking, deriving primarily from the decisionmaking process, which sought input from interested and involved parties but did not include them in decisionmaking deliberations. The other two cases -the San Juan National Forest mediation and the Willamette National Forest consensus building -- involved the parties in collaborative problemsolving and mediation processes. Decisionmaking structured to involve interested parties appeared to produce more options and outcomes that satisfy the interests of the parties. Such processes create an incentive for issue-oriented discussion among the parties rather than adversarial positioning that inhibits the pursuit of mutually acceptable solutions. 14 references.