Participatory processes in forest management: the Italian experience in defining and implementing forest certification schemes

In member states of the European Union, and in accordance with directives issued by the EU, participatory approaches are increasingly being implemented in activities related to urban planning and environmental resources management, including those in the forestry sector. Here, the adoption of participatory approaches is often related to forest certification. This is also the case in Italy, where the most advanced and structured experiences of public participation are strictly linked to the development and implementation of forest certification schemes, even if this is limited to the aspect of stakeholder consultation. With an empirical analysis of some case studies the paper identifies possible links between forest certification processes and different levels of public participation and is divided into four main parts. The first presents the theoretical background, the most relevant issues and the methodologies. The second and third parts describe the driving forces of and the main connections between participation and forest certification, respectively. The fourth part presents some final comments and conclusions that aim at enhancing public participation in forest certification processes.