| Abstract: |
Contemporary forest policy is attuned to present and aniticpated future societal needs and to long-term dynamics of ecosystem,s. Policy regimes acress North America tend to accommodate degrees of adaptive management to account for future uncertainty. The metaphor of a hiker in a mountain range illustrates the complexity of policy implementation and the need for tools and actions to manage in a changing environment. Case studies from British Columbia, Ontario, Oregon, and Virginia illustrate specific policy regimes and characterize a common "enabling" role necessary for effective policy implementation. Two key enabling functions emerge: the development of analytical tools and the development of educational programs directed to specific needs of persons charged with polocy implementation. Organizational capacity in knowledge transfer and exctension is instrumental in supporting polocy implementation in all four cases. |
