A co-design framework for natural resource policy making: Insights from tree health and fisheries in the United Kingdom

Urquhart, Julie ORCID: 0000-0001-5000-4630, Ambrose-Oji, Bianca, Chiswell, Hannah Marie ORCID: 0000-0003-4504-1319, Courtney, Paul ORCID: 0000-0002-5683-8502, Lewis, Nick ORCID: 0000-0001-7209-9802, Powell, John R ORCID: 0000-0001-8464-4521, Reed, Matt ORCID: 0000-0003-1105-9625 and Williams, Chris (2023) A co-design framework for natural resource policy making: Insights from tree health and fisheries in the United Kingdom. Land Use Policy, 134. Art 106901. doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106901

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Text 13136 Urquhart, Ambrose-Oji, Chiswell, Courtney, Lewis, Powell, Reed, Williams (2023) A co-design framework for natural resource policy making - insights from tree health and fisheries in the United Kingdom.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Environmental and land use policy literature asserts the need for more holistic, participatory and co-designed forms of governance for the sustainable management of natural resources. Co-design is also increasingly recognised by government as a useful approach but is often applied with varying degrees of success. The purpose of this paper is to assess recent examples of policy co-design across three UK case studies focused on tree/woodland management and fisheries. The first set out to co-design criteria for ‘low impact’ fishing with fisheries stakeholders to inform new fisheries policy and management strategies. The second co-designed new policy options with tree/woodland stakeholders to replace existing tree health grants, as part of the UK government’s broader Environment Land Management scheme. The third aimed to scope, with stakeholders, the potential for a new social survey of fishers. Despite the different contexts, all projects sought to apply principles of co-design by engaging with stakeholders during the early stages of policy development. A comparative assessment between the three case studies allows us to identify challenges for co-design and to provide recommendations for successfully applying co-design principles through stakeholder-researcher-policy maker partnerships. Challenges include building trust between stakeholders and policymakers, overcoming traditional modes of evidence-based policy making, accessing hard-to-reach groups, getting discussions to move beyond the general to the specific, and recognising that co-design takes time and is resource-intensive. A new co-design framework is presented, setting out five stages for incorporating the principles of co-design in natural resource policy making: scoping, co-design, testing, implementing and evaluation.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Co-design; Policy; Inclusive governance; Participation; Fisheries management; Tree health
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SD Forestry S Agriculture > SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > Countryside and Community Research Institute
Research Priority Areas:	Place, Environment and Community
Depositing User:	Anna Kerr
Date Deposited:	08 Sep 2023 09:44
Last Modified:	24 Nov 2023 14:02
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/13136

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