A Study of the Consensus Building Process in National Park Management through the Case of the Oze Road Construction Plan

Abstract

In the early 1960s, a new road construction plan that was to run through the lakefront of Ozenuma—the core area of the National Park of Oze—was brought into question for its anticipated environmental impact. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, then in charge of national park administration, revised the plan to circumvent the core area; however, the construction work was terminated in 1971 by political intervention. This study identifies factors that led to the termination and examines issues that arose in the consensus building process of implementing collaborative management of the National Park. In regard to the stakeholders, two observations are drawn: 1) the importance of conducting a stakeholder analysis to identify those who should take part in the consultative process, and 2) the need to hold a clear vision of the sustainable use of natural resources in the area and to engage those who may have little say in this process. It is also worth noting the specialist who participated in the planning. His commitment to achieve the two purposes of national parks, protection and use, seems to have blinded him from seeing the regional stakeholders’ vision and desire of protecting the ‘atmosphere’ of the Oze area.