Tag: citizens jury

Citizens’ Jury on the Nämdö archipelago Biosphere Reserve underway

On Saturday 19 October, the participants in Nämdöskärgården’s citizens’ council gathered for the first time. The council brought together 25 citizens with different opinions and connections to the Nämdöskärgården. Some were year-round residents while others were part-time or summer residents. After an educational and information-rich first day, the preparations for the next gathering, which will take place on November 16, now begin.

This blog post is an English translation of an article we wrote on the Nämdö Green Archipelago (NGA) website (see the NGA article in Swedish).

The citizens’ jury in the Nämdö archipelago connects with the process of establishing a Biosphere Reserve around Nämdö and its surrounding islands. A collaboration between LANDPATHS and Nämdö Green Archipelago, the citizens’ jury is tasked with generating input on the future development of the archipelago, with a specific focus on which initiatives should be prioritized in the local actors’ continued work to establish the biosphere area.

During the first day, the participants learned more about what a Biosphere Reserve is and listened to different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities the faced in Nämdö. 

Speakers during the first day: 

  • Nämdö Archipelago Biosphere Reserve, Ann Aldeheim, Nämdö Green Archipelago
  • Preserve on land and below the surface, Elin Dahlgren, SLU
  • Community service and development, Anna Gabrielsson, Värmdö municipality
  • Infrastructure and transport, Sune Fogelström
  • Business and tourism, Martin Rosén, Stavsnäs Båttaxi
  • Social meeting places and culture, Kerstin Sonnbäck, Lower Dalälven Biosphere Reserve

After each presentation, the participants had the opportunity to reflect in small groups on the presented perspectives, ask questions and discuss their views and experiences. Afterwards, the participants were encouraged to write a future vision to describe how they imagine the Nämdö archipelago in the coming years. The day ended with shared reflections and impressions from the day, as well as expectations for the future.

With information, experiences and reflections from the first day, the group will gather again on Saturday 16 November. The focus of the second day will be on delving into the different perspectives, and prioritising and analysing the advantages and disadvantages of different efforts. 

The result of the citizens’ jury will form the basis for Nämdö Green Archipelago’s continued work to establish a biosphere area in the landscape.

A big thank you to all participants for your time and commitment!

More information about the citizen jury method

In a citizens’ jury, citizens are selected according to criteria that ensure a broad representation of the public in a small group. Over several days, the participants hear different perspectives, opinions and expert knowledge, and then get to discuss the issue in depth. The process usually ends with a joint conclusion or recommendations. Citizens are compensated for their participation in this process.

For more information about the citizens’ juries taking place within LANDPATHS, contact Tim Daw (leader of the Barriers and opportunities for change project).

Community representatives are being recruited to take part in a Citizens’ Jury on forests

LANDPATHS sub-projects on Citizen dialogue and Forest Landscapes are now in the process of recruiting local citizens in the municipalities of Ovanåker, Ljusdal, and Bollnäs to discuss forest-related issues in a Citizens’ Jury. Tim Daw (Stockholm Resilience Centre) spoke more about the Jury during the Förmiddagen i P4 Gävleborg radio show on September 2, 2024.

View over Voxnadalen
View from Växbo in Bollnäs municipality. Photo: Max Whitman.

The Citizens’ Jury aims to provide local people with an opportunity to discuss how municipal forests should be used. According to Tim, Citizens’ Juries provide a great tool for tackling complex issues like the polarized debate over forest use. The use of the forest for production, recreation, and the preservation of biodiversity are often seen as conflicting priorities.

Participants in a Citizens’ Jury are randomly selected and receive an invitation letter with instructions for how to sign up to the process. No prior knowledge is required, as experts will be present to give brief presentations. In addition, participating citizens are encouraged to contribute their local knowledge and values to the process. Those taking part will have plenty of time for discussion and the goal is to provide a platform that allows for a deeper discussion than what typically occurs in polarised debate in (social) media. It is the intention that the Citizens’ Jury will offer an opportunity for local people to listen to one another and foster a better understanding of each other’s views and values regarding the forest. Listen to Tim’s interview with Sveriges Radio P4 here.

“Deliberative mini-publics, such as the Citizens’ Jury, are a promising method to discuss wicked and complex challenges in polarized societies, such as the question of forest management in Voxnadalen. In addition, they provide a great tool to listen to and incorporate local knowledge of residents living in the biosphere reserve. We are working together with those managing the Voxnadalen biosphere reserve to assess whether this method can be a valuable tool for incorporating local residents’ knowledge into management plans. This is a rather novel approach, so we are excited to witness what will happen with the Citizens’ Jury in Voxnadalen this autumn.”

FANNY MÖCKEL, DOCTORAL STUDENT IN LANDPATHS

The Citizens’ Jury about forest use will take place over two Saturdays in October and November.

Earlier this year, Tim successfully led a Citizens’ Assembly on Climate, which created an open forum for discussing climate-related issues among community representatives from across Sweden. The process resulted in recommendations that were submitted to political representatives.

For more information, contact Tim Daw (Stockholm Resilience Centre) or Fanny Möckel (Uppsala University).

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