Exploring the interlinkages between governance and social capital: A dynamic model for forestry

We propose hence a dynamic, nested model comprehensively illustrating the co-evolution of SC and forest governance elements along a policy process. The model uncovers the interrelation between different factors underlying natural resources' and rural development challenges based on cooperative behaviour. This model identifies cognitive dimensions of SC as triggers of local-level governance reforms. Network structure shapes information flows, power relationships, trust among actors and innovation spread. Trust and social sanctioning impinge on the enforcement of (in)formal norms and rules. The model applies in forest policies entailing cooperation among open-access resource users, landowners' coordination for adjacency externalities, upscaling management, or value chain reorganisation.