This study considers the establishment of parks and protected areas in relation to local governance in Indonesia through the example of the Togean Islands National Park in Central Sulawesi. Effective management of the park requires collaborative processes that engage local resource users. Co-management provides an important model for sustainable governance, but creating a co-management system is complicated and time consuming. The authors examine the initial stages of planning and establishing the park and outline four successful social developments within these processes that can aid in the creation of a co-management system. © 2013 © 2013 University of Newcastle upon Tyne.