Participatory mapping was done by local communities in collaboration with the forestry administration and support by GIZ. It involved a true ‘cantonal’ approach by facilitating joint meetings between communities. They prepared their land use maps with guidance from advisors. This allowed to develop the relevant knowledge base for land use and restoration opportunities at regional scale and showed the importance of ecosystem connectivity in a landscape. Main steps of mapping:

1. Preparation: Analysis & documentation of existing information, local visits to potential restoration sites, meetings with leaders of the prefecture and a launching workshop
2. Awareness raising campaign in all 9 cantons and identification of two local cartographers per village (150 in total)  
3. Training of local cartographers in the development of participatory maps and the use of geoinformation tools including GPS  
4. Participatory mapping with 77 communities including joint identification of problems, mapping, verification and ground truthing of land use units by local experts and cartographers
5. Development of final maps, validation and return of maps to local stakeholders