Green Park Consultants GPC Ltd was established in 2007 by a small group of experienced professionals with a strong commitment to equitable and sustainable development.
The team has particular expertise, derived from decades of grounded work in the Caribbean, Africa, South Asia and elsewhere, in:
- policies and institutional arrangements for sustainable development
- environmental governance
- protected areas and their contribution to poverty reduction and sustainable livelihoods
- climate change adaptation strategies
GPC has offered a range of services to governments, civil society organisations, research and academic institutions and international agencies, including:
- programme evaluation
- facilitation of policy processes
- research and analysis
- institutional development
- programme and project planning
All work done by GPC draws on interest and experience in participatory approaches that involve stakeholders in processes of collective analysis and decision-making.
Long seen as an essential aspect of sustainable development, participatory approaches are those that engage stakeholders -- those with an interest in an issue, an area or a resource -- in its management. The main objectives of participatory approaches are:
- to contribute to improved management by incorporating the knowledge and skills of all stakeholders;
- to increase the likelihood of stakeholder acceptance of and support for decisions that have been jointly agreed;
- to incorporate a wide range of perspectives and ideas, resulting in improved management decisions and actions;
- to provide a forum for identifying conflicts and negotiating their solutions;
- to contribute to stakeholder empowerment and institutional development.
Adapted from: T. Geoghegan, Y. Renard & N.A. Brown
Guidelines for Participatory Planning:
A Manual for Caribbean Natural Resource Managers and Planners
2004, Caribbean Natural Resources Institute, Laventille - Trinidad.