Partnering for bioregionalism in England : a case study of the Westcountry Rivers Trust

The adoption of bioregionalism by institutions that are instrumental in river basin management has significant potential to resolve complex water resource management problems. The Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) in England provides an example of how localised bioregional institutionalisation of adaptive co-management, consensus decision-making, local participation, indigenous technical and social knowledge and 'win-win' outcomes can potentially lead to resilient partnership working. Our analysis of the WRT's effectiveness in confronting non-point source water pollution, previously impervious to centralised agency responses, provides scope for lesson-drawing on institutional design, public engagement and effective operation, although some evident issues remain