Tool 1: Use interactive mapping for monitoring

Box 13. Time and materials

  • Setup – 2 hours
    Review presentations with focus group representatives.
  • Public meeting – 4 hours (depending on the number of theme maps).
  • Materials
    Complete set of maps (base and theme), flip charts, markers, review sheets.

    Team and participants

  • 1 facilitator
  • 1 representative from each theme focus group
  • Members of the public (5–12 per focus group).
  • Analyse the theme maps for problems. Are there areas that need extra services or special programmes?
  • Make comparisons between current theme maps and previous maps. Is the situation improving or getting worse? Are there certain trends that might mean that there could be problems in the future?
  • Document public reaction and comment to what they see on the maps. What do the participants say about local government’s performance? Based on their comments, how can local government improve?

Box 14. Tips for getting started

  • Interactive mapping is interesting and fun, which makes it easy to get local people involved from the very beginning.
  • Organise informal meetings with local government and institutions to present the concept. Share the examples in this book. Discuss the importance of monitoring and how interactive mapping can play a part.
  • Organise a mapping training workshop. Teach basic mapping skills and how to use a GPS. Invite local government officials and local community members. Include young people, too, who often like to learn new technologies.
  • From this group, ask for volunteers to be members of the mapping team. Select the most interested and dependable people.

More resources:

Eghenter, C. 2000 Mapping people’s forests: the role of mapping in planning community-based management of conservation areas in Indonesia. Biodiversity Support Program, Washington, DC.

Jackson, B., Nurse, M.C. and Singh, H.B. 1994 Participatory mapping for community forestry. London: ODI.

Open Forum on Participatory Geographic Information Systems and Technologies. Website: http://ppgis.iapad.org.

Peluso, N.L. 1995 Whose woods are these? Counter-mapping forest territories in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Antipode 29(4): 383–406.
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© 2007 Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
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