Unveiling the Centrality of Knowledge in Stakeholder Involvement Strategies Regarding Public Forest Management

Stakeholder involvement can foster more socially and environmentally sustainable management of natural resources, including forests. However, few studies have approached the effect of knowledge on stakeholders’ involvement in forest management. This study intends to contribute to filling this gap by exploring the relationship between access to knowledge, involvement, stakeholders’ profiles, and levels of influence and interest regarding public forest management strategies. To this end, this article examines the data collected through a questionnaire directed to all the stakeholders potentially interested in the management of the Matas do Litoral. Matas do Litoral are part of the 3% of publicly managed forests in Portugal. The results reveal a discrepancy between the high levels of interest regarding Matas do Litoral management, and low levels of influence on those processes. Most of the stakeholders surveyed know forest management strategies, and their involvement in those strategies is limited. The proximity and role of governmental organizations are key factors underlying knowledge levels among the various stakeholders. Furthermore, knowledge acts as a critical factor in encouraging the stakeholders’ influence and involvement in management strategies and policies. This study gives insights regarding the need for knowledge management as a tool for empowering local stakeholders and promoting their involvement in bottom-up forest management strategies.