A scoping review of participatory tools and practices in collaborative processes: Towards multi-actor collaboration in integrated landscape approaches

In this article, we ask how the different tools and practices used in participatory and collaborative processes could support multi-actor collaboration in integrated landscape approaches (ILAs). First, we conducted a scoping review to identify and synthesize literature on participatory and collaborative approaches related to forest, water, land and landscapes. Secondly, we analysed 130 articles to understand how and by which means these approaches engaged different actors in multi-actor collaborations. Our findings identified a wealth of different tools and practices available to support participatory and collaborative approaches, such as participatory mapping and modelling, games and visualizations, scenario development, and knowledge co-creation. Further, our scoping review identifies 30 articles about processes with core elements of collaborative governance, namely, principled engagement, shared motivation, and capacity of joint action. We argue that externally directed processes with short-term funding do not ensure multi-actor collaboration and a commitment towards ILAs. Both collaborative governance and ILAs demand administrative openness, cross-sectoral collaboration and recognize feedback loops to ensure evolving collaboration.