Institutional Constraints to Collaborative Ecosystem Management within a Wetlands Conservation Partnership

Recent decades have seen an evolution in resource management paradigms from the multiple use and sustained yield toward ecosystem management. This ongoing paradigm shift has generated interest in collaborative decision- making as a more promising alternative to conventional top down institutions. While a collaborative approach to ecosystem management promises several benefits, including equity, efficiency, and sustainability, institutional constraints often impede the success of these initiatives. Using the Cache River Joint Venture Partnership in southern Illinois, USA as a case study, this study employed a qualitative research approach to understand how various institutional attributes influence prospects for conflict and cooperation in collaborative decision- making processes. We found that stakeholder motivation and capacity for cooperation with other partners in ecosystem management can be enabled or constrained by several institutional factors, including external policy and regulatory mandates, internal administrative and budget structures, institutional cultures, and approaches to science and decision- making criteria. We conclude with a suggestion that stakeholders in collaborative ecosystem management partnerships identify and address constraints for cooperative action during the early stages of the process.