Land management practices have been developed primarily by focusing on resource objectives. Public perceptions of these practices are seldom considered until after they have been introduced and conflicts have developed among different user groups. This paper reviews attitudes about conflicts and approaches to managing conflicts. The causes of conflict (misunderstanding, lack of information, differing interests, and/or personal values) will determine how successfully a conflict can be managed. Collaborative methods have become very popular, and can effectively address conflicts originating from misunderstandings or differing interests. However, for collaborative processes to be successful when dealing with value-based conflicts, considerable time and a skilled third party facilitator has generally been required.
