NRM Log 3: Tarcoles River Basin Commission 26/2/10

Bottom up natural resource management can have the most positive impact because of complete participation and public involvement, but it is also fragile when officials at the top have too much control.
In the case of the Tarcoles River Basin Commission, we can observe a clear example of the benefits and weaknesses of bottom up natural resource management. The commission had the greatest potential to have a true positive influence on the waste management in the river. This was mostly due to careful research and planning that was put into the process every step of the way. This care was necessary for winning upper level support when starting at the bottom. Therefore, a very careful and successful plan was constructed to deal with the pollution in the Tarcoles River. In addition, much public support was won along the way due to tireless diplomacy and spread of potential models of integrated river management put forth in their struggle to be heard.
However, all this work and potential was cut short due to a common weakness in bottom up natural resource management. When changes at the top have the power to alter the entire commission goals and replace officials, all the efforts can be lost. In the case of the Tarcoles River, a change in government allowed for a change in the commission president, and therefore crippled the commission’s success. Ideally, the best resource management plan would be initiated from the bottom up but would then be supported and led by an official at the top, thus ensuring a carefully planned model with uninterrupted implementation.