An Institutional Analysis of the Kaipara Harbour Governance Network in New Zealand

ABSTRACT

Common pool resources are increasingly examined through social–ecological systems (SES) lenses to understand multifaceted natural resource issues through interdisciplinary approaches. Using frameworks grounded in environmental governance and SES, we examine the multijurisdictional institutional network of Kaipara Harbour in New Zealand. We find that while the conventional form of regulatory management has persisted until recently, the network has been modified to a more collaborative and cooperative configuration. We argue that although the decision-making capacities of the Kaipara Harbour network are unchanged, the emergence of informal and self-organized subsystems is vital to the successful management of the harbour. This case illustrates the value of combining the governance network framework, allowing us to view the material relationships between actors, and the SES framework, pressing us to isolate those action arenas with the most power, the most legitimacy, and perhaps the more effective role to play in stewarding the region’s natural resources.

KEYWORDS:

• Governance networks
• Kaipara Harbour
• New Zealand
• social–ecological systems

Notes

We acknowledge that the appropriate form of participation would need to align with existing or proposed governance structures in each of the regions, for example, Māori Statutory Boards and Local Boards.