Pluralité des références spatiales et sociales pour les acteurs d'un contrat de rivière

National audienceRiver contracts lead smoothly stakeholders in a watershed to share points of view and enhance the emergence of collective and coherent projects.With a methodology based on collective decision support experirnents, we have interviewed a set of stakeholders of Orb Valley River Contract.This shows a variability of relevant spaces within our stakeholders sarnple, according to their physical location within or outside the basin, as well as according to their domain of action. These differences are not only based on zoning but also on the relevance of the basin as the cornmon space.As from the social point of view, embedded actors are perceived more through the local conséquences of their actions than through actual interactions. This enhance issues of coherence and conflicts. Orb valley institution seems the main coordination place.Les contrats de rivière amènent d'une manière assez souple les acteurs concernés par la gestion de l'eau sur un bassin versant à partager des points de vue et favorisent l'émergence de projets communs et cohérents. A partir d'expériences en aide à la décision collective, nous avons mené un travail d'enquêtes auprès d'acteurs du Contrat de Rivière de l'Orb. Il en ressort une variabilité des espaces de référence parmi les acteurs interviewés, selon leur localisation physique à l'intérieur ou à l'extérieur du bassin versant, et selon le rayonnement de leur activité (local ou global). Cette variabilité relève non seulement du découpage du même espace d'ensemble, le bassin versant, mais aussi de sa pertinence. Les acteurs, quant à eux, sont plus perçus à travers les conséquences locales de leurs actions que par de réelles interactions, d'où des problèmes de cohérence et de conflits perçus entre ces actions. Le syndicat mixte de la vallée de l'Orb semble le principal lieu de coordination

Evaluating Participatory Modeling: Developing a Framework for Cross-case Analysis

Participatory modeling is increasingly recognised as an effective way to assist collective decision-making processes in the domain of natural resource management. This paper introduces a framework for evaluating projects that have adopted a participatory modeling approach. This framework – known as the ‘Protocol of Canberra’ – was developed through a collaboration between French and Australian researchers engaged in participatory modeling and evaluation research. The framework seeks to assess the extent to which different participatory modeling practices reinforce or divert from the theoretical assumptions they are built upon. The paper discusses the application of the framework in three case-studies, two from Australia and one from the Pacific island of the Republic of Kiribati. The paper concludes with some comments for future use of the framework in a range of participatory modeling contexts, including fostering consideration of why and how different methodological approaches are used to achieve project aims and to build a collective vision amongst diverse stakeholders.participation, modeling, evaluation, complex systems science

Towards an art and science of decision aiding for water management and planning: a participatory modelling process

Planning and management of water resources are faced with increasingly high levels of complexity, uncertainty and conflict. Traditional technical and top-down management strategies have proved inadequate, forcing a move to more integrated forms of management, planning and decision making that can include stakeholders and communities, as well as technical experts and policy makers. These integrated forms of management require not only good technical or scientific ability, but a range of art-like skills including communication, creativity and the capacity to acknowledge and integrate diverse points of view. However, processes designed to aid such inter-organisational or multi-stakeholder decisionmaking are rare and in need of investigation. This paper proposes a process of participatory modelling using a series of semi-structured collective decision cycles which can aid decisions involving multiple stakeholders in water management and planning. The participatory modelling process outlined in this paper is designed to capture and integrate both tacit and explicit knowledge from stakeholders, right from the problem identification phase through to the final decision making, implementation and ongoing monitoring and evaluation. A brief idealised example of the participatory modelling process testing in Montpellier, France, is highlighted, as well as further questions and identified priority research areas

Towards an art and science of decision aiding for water management and planning: a participatory modelling process

Planning and management of water resources are faced with increasingly high levels of complexity, uncertainty and conflict. Traditional technical and top-down management strategies have proved inadequate, forcing a move to more integrated forms of management, planning and decision making that can include stakeholders and communities, as well as technical experts and policy makers. These integrated forms of management require not only good technical or scientific ability, but a range of art-like skills including communication, creativity and the capacity to acknowledge and integrate diverse points of view. However, processes designed to aid such inter-organisational or multi-stakeholder decisionmaking are rare and in need of investigation. This paper proposes a process of participatory modelling using a series of semi-structured collective decision cycles which can aid decisions involving multiple stakeholders in water management and planning. The participatory modelling process outlined in this paper is designed to capture and integrate both tacit and explicit knowledge from stakeholders, right from the problem identification phase through to the final decision making, implementation and ongoing monitoring and evaluation. A brief idealised example of the participatory modelling process testing in Montpellier, France, is highlighted, as well as further questions and identified priority research areas