Commitment to the sustainable use of the resource: the owners of a common property resource must really want to use it on a sustainable basis. They must agree that:
individual use is damaging the resource;
cooperative use of the resource will reduce the risks of damage;
the future is important (ie, opportunities for their children and grandchildren are as important as their own short-term gains).
It is best if the owners have a shared past, trust each other, expect a shared future and value their reputation in the community. It is easier if ethnic differences or economic status are not sources of conflict for the resource owners.