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self-governing urbars within existing forest management and governance
structure which is fully hierarchical is problematic. Due to historical
management rules in use, self-governance and equal cost benefi t sharing
urbars can be seen as long lasting and resilient socio ecological systems
with high adaptive capacity to external shocks.
Conclusions
The post-disaster development in Tatras National Park is an example of
how natural and social systems imposed to global changes are becoming
vulnerable to external as well as internal disturbances. Global climate
changes may seriously affect the systems capacity to absorb external and
internal disturbances and the adaptation capacity of natural and social
systems without fundamental changes of their quality. In our study,
the windstorm that devastated forest ecosystems of Tatras National
Park accelerated existing confl icts and institutional threats in resource
management and created several social challenges for forest management
and spatial development in the region.
Urbars as specific form of self-governing regime combined with
collective ownership was identifi ed as a perspective resource regime to
cope with unpredictable disturbances and complexity of global changes.
Urbars' can be seen as long surviving institutions for sustainable forest
management also under the free market competition and global changes, as
they represent rather fl exible collaborative management modes combining
traditional forms of management following sustainability goals, as well as
the economically oriented behaviours of the owners.
In particular it has has been found that operation of urbars determine
ecosystem dynamics and sustainable use of forest resources as an attribute
of economic profi t. In addition institutional structure of urbars increase
internal system stability and reduces vulnerability against external shocks.
Urbars are thus seen as more resilient than individual private or state
property resource regimes.
Furthemore, as the urbars represent historical ties between joint owners
—residents creating a dominant part of local communities and forest
ecosystems, they seemed to be crucial for continuity and development
of local identity, and their participation in management and governance
contributes to the stability and sustainability of the landscape. These
aspects, as important aspects of landscape values, may be further research
challenges.
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