POLYCENTRIC GOVERNANCE AND RESILIENCE ENHANCEMENT FOR MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES IN METROPOLITAN AREAS: THE CASE OF THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS, THE USA

Abstract

Globally, accelerated urbanization has wrapped more and more mountain landscapes into metropolitan areas as water sources or residential and recreational spaces. Such mountain landscapes are usually governed by multiple agencies, which means that its sustainable development largely depends on the effectiveness of the collective actions among these agencies. This paper examines the case of the Santa Monica Mountains in California, the United States by analyzing relevant oral histories, acts and ordinances, study reports, planning documents, and GIS data to depict the whole picture of the evolution of its cooperative planning and management. It is found that the polycentric governance in the Santa Monica Mountains emerged as a response to the deterioration of natural resource and the increasing outdoor recreation needs against the backdrop of urbanization. The California State government developed coastal zone protection guidelines and established conservancies, while the federal government cooperated with local governments and communities by forming a national recreation area. These methods helped the governing agencies tactically cope with the real estate development, changing political climate, shrinking financial allocation, rising land prices, and conceptual shifts in environmental protection. This polycentric governance mode was also applied to other mountain areas in the vicinity to form a regional-scale resilient landscape. The authors argue that the case of the Santa Monica Mountains reveals how the polycentric governance works on strengthening landscape resilience, which shows an important reference for contemporary China.