Governance is about the cohesion, integrity and solidity of social units and how they interact, and the relationship with other social units and governing authorities, and this includes systems of rules and arrangements, multi-level actor networks, principles and processes that have been created to guide societies towards common goals. Broadly realized as the mindful resolution of action through the use of various forms of power, governance is an enduring phenomenon that humans experience in their interaction with nature.

Today, this phenomenon reaches utmost dimensions and consequences in the Anthropocene era, and humans are changing the conditions of the entire planet. Governance for nature conservation seeks to justice the needs of human and economic development with the needs of biodiversity conservation.

The terms management and governance are close but distinct phenomena. However, until the beginning of the new millennium, only the term "management" was used when describing the decisions and actions taken in order to conserve nature.

. .