Addressing gaps in integrative water-energy-food-forest (WEFF) nexus governance

Forests play a critical role in sustaining water, energy, and food (WEF) systems of communities. While the ecological interlinkages between WEF-forest (WEFF) systems are relatively evident, the management of these integrated systems is typically compartmentalized and centered around sector-specific rules and policies. In this paper, we employ a modified Inter-Institutional Gaps (IIG) framework to identify and characterize the governance gaps that may exist at different levels of WEFF governing institutions. We apply the framework to a case study of the Prince Albert Model Forest (PAMF), Saskatchewan, Canada to demonstrate how strategies that minimize governance gaps can bring about positive outcomes for WEFF sectors. The PAMF was one of the first Model Forests in Canada. Major socio-economic activities in the forest area involve mining, forest industries and the Indigenous uses of forest resources for cultural services and livelihood activities. The forest has a history of conflicting land use practices, water pollution and loss of wildlife and wild food. We collected data using multiple methods including interviews, participant observation, and systematic document analysis. Our analysis suggests that the PAMF has performed benefactor, facilitator, broker, advocate, and entrepreneurial roles to develop a partnership-based proto-institutional practice that helps to go beyond sectoral, scalar, and cultural boundaries for the integration of WEFF governing state and non-state institutions. These practices help mobilize knowledge and resources required for an effective WEFF nexus governance system. • The sustainable management of water, energy, food and forest (WEFF) system depends on an integrative governance system. • The key challenges to integrative WEFF nexus governance involve gaps at different levels of WEFF governing institutions. • This paper presents a version of the inter-institutional gaps (IIG) framework to help identify WEFF governance gaps. • Boundary organizations help minimize governance gaps performing multiple functions. • Boundary organizations help innovate proto-institutional practices for an integrative WEFF nexus governance.