How trust manifests in a natural resource partnership
| Authors: | Michael G. Sorice, Marc J. Stern, James Freeman, Chris A. Armatas |
| Year: | 2026 |
| Type: | Scientific Journal |
| Station: | Rocky Mountain Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2026.2646929 |
| Source: | Society and Natural Resources |
Abstract
Trust is essential for successful environmental governance, but more research is needed to understand how trust ecology dynamics interact to influence partnership success. We applied the trust ecology framework to partnerships between federal agencies and non-governmental organizations focused on outdoor recreation management. Data were collected from U.S. agency personnel and nonprofit organizations engaged in partnerships to understand partnership success, overall trust, and the four trust pathways: expected behavior (rational trust), emotional connection/shared values (affinitive trust), systems providing a safety net (systems-based trust), and the trustor’s predisposition to trust (dispositional trust). High levels of overall trust were strongly linked to partnership success. Affinitive trust was the most significant predictor of overall trust. These trust pathways were highly interdependent, each likely reinforcing the others in shaping trust dynamics. We advance shared governance theory by highlighting the importance of context-specific strategies for building and sustaining trust in natural resource management.