Adaptive value of participatory biodiversity monitoring in community forestry

Abstract

In the context of action research in community forests, stakeholders' values for biodiversity can be elicited, communicated and understood with the help of a multidimensional conceptual framework. This incorporates levels of diversity (genes, species, habitats and processes), types of values (direct use, indirect use, option and existence) and stakeholders. This paper explores the effect of using this framework on forest monitoring, learning and communication, and wider implications for conservation, in Baglung District (Nepal). Monitoring was initially an unfamiliar concept to villagers, but the process clarified its purpose, whilst helping to elicit and exchange values and knowledge amongst stakeholders. This precipitated proposals for silvicultural experimentation and social inquiry into the diversity of users' needs. The framework allowed the translation of local value statements into categories recognized by other actors. It aided external stakeholders in understanding the factors contributing to values held by community forest users. Villagers' appreciation of ‘quality’ forest did not necessarily equate to the most ‘biodiverse’ forest, but rather the greenest and densest and that stocked with useful species. Elite domination, tenure and access to markets affected values assigned and behaviour in forest management. Elicitation of these values provoked questioning of forest management decisions and benefit sharing among community forest users. This, in turn, stimulated more democratic forest management and more inclusive, wide-ranging biodiversity values. Participatory monitoring is more conceptually challenging than is usually recognized, and the links between equity and conservation merit further attention in different cultural contexts.

Risk reduction through community-based monitoring: the vigías of Tungurahua, Ecuador

“…Despite the threats and challenges, this CBM network has empowered people to take ownership of problems, consistent with findings elsewhere (Lawrence et al 2006), and has proved to be a successful way to manage and mitigate a hazard, as has been shown elsewhere, e.g. Anderson et al (2010).…”

“…Concurrently the practice of enlisting the help of lay volunteers to monitor and record a natural process has become widespread over the last decade, particularly in the fields of ecology and natural resource management; this practice is often referred to as 'citizen science' and has given rise to a burgeoning research literature (Conrad & Hilchey 2010;Gura 2013). Studies in those fields have demonstrated that 'citizen scientists' can both provide good quality data (Tulloch et al 2013;Parsons et al 2011) and prompt community management of important biodiversity issues (Lawrence et al 2006).…”

Monitoring, indicators and community based forest management in the tropics: pretexts or red herrings?

“…Thinking together with the community about the variables likely to lead to sustainable management almost always entails a preliminary discussion on the ways to connect their daily use and understanding of natural resources and processes to formal concepts like ''management,'' ''sustainability,'' and ''biodiversity'' (Lawrence et al 2006;Purnomo et al 2005). These discussions give rise to opportunities to take stock of the different threats to the environment and propose coping strategies and possible solutions, reinforcing environmental awareness in the community (Andrianandrasana et al 2005;Poulsen and Luanglath 2005;Tiani and Bonis-Charancle 2007).…”

“…The implementation of a local monitoring system should reinforce the role of local communities as managers or co-managers of natural resources by giving due importance to their TEK and at the same time involving them formally in sustainable resource management Fraser et al 2006;Lawrence et al 2006). This empowerment of local institutions happens in two phases, at the time the monitoring system is created and then when it is implemented.…”

Status, distribution and use of threatened tree species in the walnut-fruit forests of Kyrgyzstan

“…As noted by Cantarello et al (2014) and , this could potentially be achieved by adopting a participatory forest management approach, where local people are actively involved in forestry activities. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in such participatory approaches in many countries, illustrated by the CAMPFIRE project in Zimbabwe (Taylor 2009) and the development of Community Forest User Groups in Nepal (Lawrence et al 2006). In order to introduce such approaches to Kyrgyzstan, such approaches will need to be adapted to the prevailing pattern of land ownership.…”