Mountain Commons in the Tatras

Abstract

"This paper examines common property resources (forestry) in the western Polish Tatra mountains. It opens with a discussion of the ecological, cultural, and sociological aspects of the region. Next, a history of one hundred seventy five dramatic years of community forestry is presented. It is a record of community efforts to maintain acquired property rights against diverse and changing external arrangements. The new institutional approach is used by the author to investigate major rules binding individual members of the community (operation and collective choice levels) and identify possible institutional tensions and frictions with rules imposed by external arrangements. The paper closes with a list of research problems and questions to be discussed before the author's intended fieldwork project reaches its final design."