The Theory and Practice of Collaborative Planning in Resource and Environmental Management (1)‪.‬

Abstract This paper assesses the utility of a new civics-based model of planning that delegates responsibility for preparing plans directly to affected stakeholders. The paper traces the origin of this new model, termed collaborative planning (CP) or shared decision making (SDM), and assesses its strengths and weaknesses by reviewing recent theoretical and empirical studies. The review illustrates that CP is ah effective planning model that is more likely than other planning models to develop and implement a plan that is in the public interest. The paper identifies ten "best practice" guidelines for successful use of CP. If these guidelines are followed, CP can be an effective model for achieving sustainability in resource and environmental management. The paper concludes by identifying areas for future research on CP including more meta- analysis using a uniform method, more analysis of factors determining success, and research on the preconditions for successful CP.