Dissimilar framings of forest biodiversity preservation: Uncertainty and legal ambiguity as contributing factors

Sammanfattning

Controversies over forestry and environmental issues, including biodiversity, are common. Theory suggests that uncertainty may play a major role in framing biodiversity and its preservation. This paper examines written statements on biodiversity preservation published by two major Swedish organizations, i.e., the Swedish Forest Industries Federation and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, with different interests in forest use. Frame analysis suggests that when the actors pursue a certain policy course, both biodiversity-related uncertainty and lack of regulatory clarity are important factors contributing to dissimilar framings. This case study supports the general understanding that biodiversity-related uncertainty can have important implications for biodiversity preservation, in this case, via forest policy and legislation. Scientific uncertainty may allow actors with dissimilar interests in an issue to justify their standpoints. To successfully manage forest biodiversity in the future, legal frameworks must increasingly find ways to accommodate scientific uncertainty, and models must be developed in which stakeholders' diverging interests and values address uncertainties via dialogue. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nyckelord

Forestry; Biodiversity; Framing; Uncertainty; Regulation; Forest policy

Publicerad i

Forest Policy and Economics
2016, volym: 62, sidor: 36-42
Utgivare: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

SLU författare

• Forsberg, Maria

  • Institutionen för stad och land, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    
  • Uppsala universitet

• Larsson, Stig

  • Institutionen för ekologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Associerade SLU-program

SLU Future Forests
SLU Centrum för biologisk mångfald, CBM

Globala målen (SDG)

SDG15 Ekosystem och biologisk mångfald

UKÄ forskningsämne

Juridik och samhälle
Skogsvetenskap
Ekologi

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2015.07.007

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79661