Participatory mapping and demarcation of conserved area
Demarcation of the conserved area is a crucial step, and involvement of the entire community in this process is extremely important. The area under de facto community jurisdiction is quite large even going up to a few hundred square kilometers in some cases, there are also disputed lands either between various clans of the village or between different villages. It is important that the community reaches a consensus on how much and which area will be declared as a conserved area.
Using participatory tools i.e. social/ resource mapping, we identify landmarks and traditional boundaries of the forest and physically verify them wherever possible. We also use modern devices like GPS to track/ mark boundary/ make use of Google Earth and develop maps using GIS. This helps to define boundaries and outline a map of the conserved area, and communicate this to all stakeholders and especially each and every household of the village. Well defined boundaries are the foundation for better protection and long-term management.
- Widespread consultation with the community to arrive at a consensus on the area to be conserved
- Validation by key stakeholders of the area proposed to be declared as CCA
It needs to be ensured that the entire community is onboard and accepts the demarcation and landmarks well during the boundary marking/ demarcation process of a conserved area. Special emphasis needs to be put on involving all land owners (individual or clans), forest user groups, herders and other influential persons of the village. In the absence of this a section of the community could question the legitimacy of both the CCA and the processes undertaken towards its declaration and demarcation.