"Environmental Conservation" is looking for contributions to a special issue on biodiversity governance in Central and Eastern Europe.

This thematic issue will explore the harmonisation of national legislation in the new member states with European Union policies and directives, considering also how European policies are influencing biodiversity governance in neighbouring CEE countries. It will aim to shed light on how the Europeanisation of environmental governance and emergence of multi-level governance structures has transformed environmental politics, conservation and environmental conflicts. In doing this, the thematic issue will strengthen the evidence-base on the functioning and performance of biodiversity governance in new EU member states and neighbouring countries.
The purpose of this thematic issue is to generate one of the first collections of articles on Central and Eastern European biodiversity governance. Papers can take the form of case studies, comparative studies, or thematic / geographical reviews but the editors will prioritize strong empirical contributions. Submitted papers must focus on Central and Eastern Europe. They may target, but are not limited to:

• The emergence of multi-level biodiversity governance frameworks and the implications for environmental politics in the region;
• Forms of and experiences with public participation in biodiversity and environmental governance;
• Implementation and effectiveness of biodiversity governance, including protected area designation and the implementation of management strategies or plans therein.

Guidelines for submission:

Only original and unpublished high-quality research papers are considered and manuscripts must be in English.  You must provide a cover letter indicating that the submission is for the issue on “Biodiversity Governance in Central and Eastern Europe”. If this is not supplied, or if too many/insufficient papers are accepted for a particular theme, they will be published as regular submissions in the journal. All papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process - that they are part of a themed issue (solicited or not) does not guarantee acceptance.

Manuscripts should be submitted before 1 February, 2012.