Environmental Governance Networks in Small Island Destinations: Applications in Gili Trawangan and Nusa Lembongan Islands, Indonesia

The natural environment plays a major role in determining destination attractiveness, particularly in the case of small island destinations characterised by sparse natural resources and by limited environmental carrying capacity. Some small island destinations in developing country settings have developed collaborative environmental governance networks as a means of protecting environmental resources. However, little is known about the operations of such networks. This paper explains how environmental governance networks can achieve more effective environmental conservation in the context of tourism development on small islands in developing countries. Three research phases are reported in the paper: the first is a literature review on environmental conservation, governance, and environmental governance networks and a conceptual framework for the analysis of environmental governance networks. Secondly, two case studies in Gili Trawangan Island and Nusa Lembongan Island, Indonesia are analysed to show the application of collaborative environmental governance networks in particular settings. Finally a modified conceptual framework is proposed in order to explain the operations, characteristics and effectiveness of environmental governance networks in the two case study destinations. A preliminary analysis is provided of the environmental governance networks in the two settings