COMMUNICATION SUPPORT FOR SUSTAINABLE NATURAL-RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Natural Resource Management (NRM) can be looked upon from different pe rspectives: (1) the bio-physical science perspective, (2) the economic perspective and (3) the social actor perspective. After briefly contr asting the three complementary perspectives, the article focuses on th e third, which is the least developed. The social actor perspective re quires that one distinguish between (1) the natural resource (be it a farm, a water catchment, underground water resources, etc.) and (2) th e social actors who hold a stake in, and/or affect it. These stakehold ers ideally form a platform for integral decision making about the nat ural resource. The platform/resource combination highlights communicat ion processes of interest in sustainable NRM: creating a rich picture of intentions and realities; (land use) negotiation and accommodation; making things visible; raising the level of social aggregation at whi ch platforms operate; and information systems for platform decision su pport. Such and other platform processes need active facilitation. The article outlines the implications for communication support, and expl ores professional contributions.