Participatory mapping to involve local communities in PA decision making
Snapshot Solution
To improve the traditionally fraught relations between park managers and communities in Mbaere-Bodingue National Park, Central African Republic, participatory mapping approaches have been developed for communities to highlight their knowledge of the areas they depend upon. Implemented in 5 steps, this initiative enables quality mapping to facilitate good governance, effective decision-making and the sustainable use of natural resources
Last update: 17 Apr 2018
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Impacts
• By asking communities to draw a map representing the area where they harvest natural resources for their livelihoods, enabling them to explain and argue for its use, participatory mapping in the area has built confidence and effective communication between the communities and the association’s team
• By training community members in cartography, the use of GPS and data collection techniques, the skills base of project communities has been increased
• Participatory mapping in CAR helped increase communities’ understanding of their rights and eased the implementation of initiatives which led to reinforce PAs’ governance at local and national levels