The Role of Stakeholder Collaboration and Local Community Participation in the Development of Codes of Conduct as a Visitor Management Tool - a case study of The Wadden Sea National Park
Authors
Kristoffersen, Nadja ; Hanfmann, Simone
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-05-31
Pages
90
Abstract
This thesis examines how stakeholder collaboration and local community participation shaped the development of 19 codes of conduct as a visitor management tool in the Wadden Sea National Park. The study is motivated by rising nature visitation—intensified during COVID-19—and Denmark’s broad right of access, which complicates regulation and heightens the need to guide visitor behavior to protect habitats and wildlife. Focusing on the creation process, it explores who was involved and how their contributions influenced outcomes. A triangulated methodology was applied, including desk research, asynchronous interviews, informal meetings, an interview with representatives from the Park’s Secretariat, non-participant observations, and a field visit. Findings indicate the codes adopt a “soft” approach aimed at educating rather than restricting, and are formulated in an explanatory, goal-oriented way to promote responsible behavior. Several stakeholders contributed resources such as networks, funding, and expertise; however, some relevant end-users and future implementers were not actively engaged in the creation phase. This led to issues of selective participation and nonparticipation, lack of interest, tensions within local groups, and weakened local ownership. The case highlights that early, inclusive stakeholder engagement and community anchoring are critical to producing legitimate and workable codes of conduct in nature management.
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan interessentsamarbejde og lokal deltagelse har formet processen med at udvikle 19 adfærdskodekser som besøgsstyringsværktøj i Nationalpark Vadehavet. Baggrunden er en markant stigning i naturbesøg – forstærket under COVID-19 – og den danske adgangsret, som gør regulering vanskelig og øger behovet for at guide besøgendes adfærd for at beskytte natur og dyreliv. Med fokus på selve tilblivelsen af kodekserne analyseres, hvem der blev involveret, og hvilken indflydelse deres bidrag havde. Studiet anvender en trianguleret tilgang med skrivebordsstudier, asynkrone interviews, uformelle møder, et interview med repræsentanter fra Nationalpark Vadehavets sekretariat, ikke-deltagende observationer samt et feltbesøg i nationalparken. Resultaterne peger på, at kodekserne er et “blødt” virkemiddel, der primært skal oplyse og uddanne frem for at regulere, og at de er formuleret forklarende og formålsorienteret for at fremme ønsket adfærd. Flere interessenter bidrog med netværk, økonomi og viden til udviklingen, men nogle relevante slutbrugere og kommende implementører blev ikke aktivt inddraget. Dette gav anledning til udfordringer med selektiv deltagelse og ikke-deltagelse, manglende interesse, interne spændinger blandt lokale grupper og svækket lokalt ejerskab. Casen understreger, at tidlig og inkluderende interessentinddragelse samt lokal forankring er central for at skabe legitime og anvendelige adfærdskodekser i naturforvaltningen.
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