Forests and forest governing systems are embedded in political ecology, where the perception and value of a forest vary across different perspectives and influence governing practices to conserve forests and sustainably use its resources. From the gender perspective, the literature demonstrates that different roles and positions women and men occupy in forest governance are significantly shaped by their everyday dependency on forests and their socio-economic and cultural position.
In Odisha, women and girls from Adivasi communities, particularly Kondh Adivasis, bear the responsibility of the household and contribute to the auxiliary activities in agriculture and animal husbandry. Due to these responsibilities and limited mobility perpetuated by socio-cultural norms, they extensively depend on forests to sustain their households. Hence, women actively participate in local governance systems such as ‘Thengapalli’, a rotational patrolling system.
Socio-cultural norms continue to limit the decision-making power of women in forest governing institutions and undermine the knowledge they possess. Therefore, this study examines the ways local knowledge held by Kondh women is integrated into decision-making in forest governing systems. Parallelly, explore the challenges women face. We examine the case study of Thengapalli in Gundurabari, Nayagarh district, India. To analyze the data we adopt the framework on the success of community practices for natural resource protection by Chaiphar et al., (2013), and Gopalam & Reddy (2006). The framework is based on Lave & Wenger's (1991) community of practices (CoPs), that emerge when individuals share knowledge and expertise to attain a common goal at different scales. This collective knowledge encompasses long-term observations, local wisdom, human behaviour, and ecological and social characteristics.
Our analysis illustrates the integration of women’s local knowledge into practice in forest governance which is evident in how women utilize their understanding of the forest condition, human behaviour within the governing system and household needs to guide decision-making. Socio-cultural stratification such as caste, internal conflicts, the practice of ostracization, and belief systems add layers of complexities to women-led governing systems. These factors continue to affect the longevity of forest governing institutions and knowledge circulation.
Japanese forest commons deal with anti-commons problems by discovering new forest ecosystem service values that were not previously recognized by residents. I reinterpret these actions as variations in the patterns of commoning. Over the past few decades, many Japanese forest owners and communities have suffered from the anti-commons (parcelization) phenomenon. Since the Edo Era (17th through 19th centuries), many Japanese commons forests have been subdivided and placed under private ownership. Individual owners of small subdivided forests (carved out of former commons forests) have lost interest in forestry, resulting in unclear borders. Many owners have relocated outside their villages (absent owners) and/or have passed the land down through generations, resulting in unknown ownership. The following two cases can be examples to ameliorate the anti-commons phenomenon in Japan: 1) Several residents’ associations collectively manage subdivided forests as one unit to reduce the damage caused by animals such as wild boars or deer. However, these units remain legally separate, and are owned by individuals. 2) A landowners’ association stipulated that a vacating resident owner must sell the forest to the remaining residents to protect the community’s water sources. These two cases show how newly discovered values, other than profit making, can help address the anti-commons phenomenon by motivating residents. Those values include gaining peace of mind by protecting the land against pest animals, and improving health by keeping the community’s drinking water pure. I also speculate about how commoners in these two cases can use pattern languages to enhance their commoning.
In a societal context that favors individualism, numerous obstacles impede the emergence of collective decision-making based on solidarity (Bian et al., 2022; Greene, 2008; Karklins-Marchay, 2023). This is particularly relevant to urban commons, which must mobilize a diverse population and promote inclusive democracy to protect the collective use of shared resources (Foster & Iaione, 2018; Huron, 2015; Mehan & Mehan, 2022). However, in our current cultural environment, these commons often face challenges related to a lack of cohesion and bonding among the actors involved (Baylis et al., 2018; Brain, 2019; Safarzynska & Sylwestrzak, 2023).
Solon Collectif, a common in Montreal, attempts to address this issue. One of its initiatives, the Espace des Possibles Ahuntsic (EPA), seeks to bring together citizens who share a common desire to address social and environmental crises (Solon Collective, 2020). The effects of commoning in this space quickly extended beyond it, influencing the entire neighborhood and district (Audet et al., 2019; Maison de l’innovation sociale et al., 2023).
This conference presents a recent study we conducted in collaboration with this organization, which aims to understand how commons can transform their environment to foster citizen solidarity. We will explore how these transformations challenge and reshape social and cultural practices in the process. To this end, we employed the concept of social capital, which refers to the networks and relationships that individuals or organizations can leverage in an organized manner to derive benefits (Putnam, 1995, 2000). Social capital, therefore, facilitates practices of mutual aid and solidarity and is closely associated with collective action (Healey, 2018; Kim, 2018, p. 1023). It thus becomes a critical vector for enhancing communities' capacity to influence and improve their living environments, while fostering solidarity practices.
Through a questionnaire, we assessed the social capital generated by citizens involved in the EPA. Following this, in a workshop setting, we mapped the ricochet effect of the bridging and linking ties developed by these citizens to make these connections visible at the neighborhood level (Stoecker & Avila, 2021).
By presenting the findings of this study on commoning practices, we will explore how commons can act as catalysts for social transformations that transcend their specific geographic contexts, promoting care, solidarity, and advancing social justice.
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