Leading the charge: A qualitative case-study of leadership conditions in collaborative environmental governance structures

Melissa E Flye; Carly C Sponarski; Bridie McGreavy; Joseph D Zydlewski

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119203

Leading the charge: A qualitative case-study of leadership conditions in collaborative environmental governance structures

J Environ Manage. 2023 Dec 15:348:119203. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119203. Epub 2023 Oct 19.

Authors

Melissa E Flye¹, Carly C Sponarski², Bridie McGreavy³, Joseph D Zydlewski⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Maine, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, Orono, ME, USA; University of Maine, Ecology and Environmental Science Program, Orono, ME, USA. Electronic address: melissa.flye@maine.edu.
² Canada Forest Service, Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
³ University of Maine, Department of Communication and Journalism, Orono, ME, USA.
⁴ University of Maine, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, Orono, ME, USA; Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.

PMID: 37862885
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119203

Abstract

Collaborative governance structures are increasingly common among natural resource managers. While studies have assessed the conditions under which collaborative action occurs, little emphasis has been placed on the role leadership may play in joint-jurisdictional systems. Management of species under the Endangered Species Act offers an opportunity to assess the collaboration of federal, state, and tribal resource agencies. The Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was managed under a structure called the Atlantic Salmon Recovery Framework (ASRF) from 2011 to 2019. Using the ASRF as a case study, we examined the influence of leadership approaches on perceived program efficacy, member buy-in, and experience through semi-structured interviews. Participant reflections revealed three major leadership themes that participants found inadequate: (1) shared goals, (2) transparency, and (3) trust. Collaborative approaches that foster these leadership conditions may increase adaptive capacity and the likelihood of sustained success in this, and other, environmental governance structures.

Keywords: Atlantic salmon; Collaborative governance; Collaborative management; Endangered species; Environmental governance; Leadership.

MeSH terms

Animals
Conservation of Natural Resources*
Endangered Species
Environmental Policy
Humans
Leadership*
Natural Resources