Collective agency and collaborative governance in managing the commonsthe case of 'A Serra do Galiñeiro' in Galicia, Spain

Abstract

Whilst in the dominant discourse on the modernization of agriculture and forestry food and timber production is related to the world market, in many places people relate production and consumption in alternative ways. In the city-region of Vigo (Galicia, northwestern Spain) case study research is on how 'Comunidades de Montes Veciñais en Man Común' (Associations of the Commons or CMVMCs) reconstruct the value of 'Monte', land traditionally in multifunctional use but that has been subject to a strong process of abandonment, for both rural and city dwellers. In particular, the study analyzes how interrelated projects of the CMVMC Vincios and the umbrella organization - Val Miñor Mancommunidade de Montes- provide four types of ecosystem services: provisioning, supporting, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. The main research questions are: How does the management of Monte relate to coordination mechanisms grounded in collective action and decisionmaking? To what extent do CMVMCs contribute to the design and the management of the green sites in the city-region of Vigo? In conclusion, we examine how practitioners close the gap between food provision, biodiversity conservation and related ecosystem services, and construct a socio-ecological model based on the multi-functional use of the land that meets environmental sustainability and societal demands.