From Resistance to Co-Creation: Constructing Shared Values in Forest Governance

This article analyzes the construction of shared values as the basis for collaborative governance between local communities and companies in forest resource management. Using a qualitative-participatory approach and a political-ecological anthropology framework, this study explores the dynamics of conflict, resistance, and the transformation of power relations toward value-based co-creation. The results show that the relationship between communities and companies is formed not only through formal schemes, but also through long-term, reflective social practices. Four core values, social contribution, self-help initiatives, open dialogue, and the desire for a peaceful life, serve as ethical meeting points that enable equal collaboration. Collaboration emerges from a process of negotiating interests and recognizing community values and experiences, not simply as a result of administrative consensus. Its mechanisms include alignment of goals, technical strategies, institutional strengthening, and dialogue-based conflict resolution. The resulting shared governance provides a social space for identity articulation, power distribution, and the construction of collective meaning. This study emphasizes that the success of collaboration is largely determined by the recognition of local values, reflective processes, and the adaptive capacity of the parties. The theoretical implication is the importance of enriching the governance approach with a contextual sociocultural perspective, while practically, the collaborative model of Prague Village can be a reference in building fair and sustainable forestry governance in areas with a similar history of agrarian conflict.