Natuur in conflict: botsende waarden, waarheden en belangen in het natuurbeheer

Conservation management can sometimes lead to bitter conflicts. The aim of this project is to get a better understanding of how and why this happens. From an inventory of conservation conflicts, two were selected for further study. The conflict in the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen (a protected area for the abstraction of drinking water) concerned the management hunting of fallow deer. This conflict was finally settled by legal process. In Salland the conflict was about the conversion of forest into an open landscape. The forest clearance was limited in the wake of a nationwide discussion about the climate change impact. Important lessons are: think in terms of dilemmas, not solutions; bring parties into direct communication; and listen to people who have local knowledge. In general, conflicts should not be seen as negative phenomena. They help to bring the issues to light and in the long term this contributes to the growth of society.