This building block builds on perception mapping, combining it with digital data and spatial tech to produce detailed and useful county and ward resource maps, documenting community knowledge of resources and attributes. The participatory mapping process allows traditional knowledge to enhance digital national-level data and vice versa.

Workshops introduced the project; Open Street maps satellite imagery was projected onto a wall alongside paper perception maps, and participants worked to transfer points of interest from the paper maps into GIS using coordinates to pinpoint locations in a way that could be verified and shared. Qualitative data on key resource points was then embedded into the spatial data. The maps were shared with participants and other stakeholders for feedback, before the process was repeated to refine. 

Locally-grounded, scientifically-sound maps are useful in dryland contexts, where pastoralists must be able to utilize different resources at different times of year. Such maps also demonstrate– in a format understood by planners and others –where key resources are located, and how poorly planned/non-participatory development projects may restrict pastoralists’ access to resources. 

Plantation of broom grass (thysanolaena maxima) was promoted at roadsides, barren areas and farmlands. Due to its strong web-like rooting system, broom grass helped prevent soil erosion, and stabilize slopes. Broom grass can regenerate quickly even in degraded land, and does not require much maintenance. It can be used to make brooms, the leaves can feed livestock, and the stems and roots provide fuel wood. As such, broom grass planting provides multiple livelihood opportunities, as well as ecosystem services.

Community ponds in Panchase, located in forests and near settlements, are an example of important green infrastructure. Healthy ponds increase water infiltration by reducing water run-off, can reduce water-induced disasters like landslides, and can help with the storage of rainwater; rainwater storage is particularly important in this mountainous region as it helps protect agricultural land and downstream areas from erosion, flooding and landslides. It also helps ensure year-round availability of water. Restoration activities for this building block included water source protection, repair and maintenance of old ponds, and development of water supply arrangements. First, IUCN helped communities to map ponds, after which some were prioritized based on extent of damage, potential for restoring groundwater, and level of dependency of surrounding communities. Locally available materials were used for repairs, to construct basic irrigation infrastructure, and to channel water from nearby sources to try to maintain water supply for as much of the year as possible. More than 60 community ponds were restored, covering three different sub-watersheds in Panchase. 

This building block entails the use of animal dung and urine as organic soil nutrients for improving soil health and farm productivity. Integrated on-farm soil management comprises different elements, such as livestock shed improvement, urine collection and use, compost-making, improved compost pits, bio gas promotion, use of kitchen waste water, seed distribution, Farmer Field School, soil testing and treatment, and organic farming training and practice. Thus this building block allows for a holistic approach for addressing soil degradation, maintaining soil nutrient and moisture content, adapting to rainfall variability, and coping with increased pest and disease.

The Civil Society Nature Reserves (RNSC) for the Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is a very important management strategy within the framework of the environmental management of its buffer zone. This process has been carried out since the 1990s in the Municipality of Pasto (Mapachico), and in 2000 with the Social Participation Policy through the ECOANDINO sustainable development project and sustainable systems for conservation.

This resulted in a direct incidence of the peasant civil society in the voluntary conservation and liberation of areas projected to be expanded for productive processes.

At present, this voluntary conservation strategy has more than 200 RNSC and conserves more than 600 ha of high Andean and Andean forest ecosystems in the context of microfundios in the department of Nariño, representing in the area, with a buffer function, an alternative for the continuity of the values under conservation.It has also become a strategy of social fabric where spaces are promoted for the exchange of knowledge, traditional knowledge, products, seeds, creation of bonds of trust, dialogues, where the main actors are the families who are friends of the Galeras Flora and Fauna Sanctuary.

It is very important for the Galeras FFS to have environmental management of the buffer zone. This process began in 2005, achieving significant results such as the proposed delimitation, zoning, and regulation of 10,615 h as a buffer zone, 38.2% of which correspond to protection zones. The High Andean and Andean Forest Sanctuary is cited here as a precedent for strategic conservation connectivity. Through this, a technical committee was formed where a dynamic and management process materialized, in which the active participation of all stakeholders has been encouraged, in addition to the incorporation of all conservation strategies under different social, technical, political and environmental work schemes of the territory.This practice generated an integral management, which has represented a challenge in the conservation of the Galeras FFS and its area of influence, but also an opportunity for the management and articulation of efforts around conservation, something that has allowed to generate trust among the actors, greater technical coordination, joint planning and sustainable co-responsibility over time.

The Forest Protection Fund (FoProF) is a community-based conservation trust fund established to support village level conservation Initiatives of Village Conservation Committeees such as law enforcement, forest surveillance and eco-development projects (portable water, education and etc). Its funds essentially come from Biodiversity Community Trust( local micro-finance institution established by ERuDeF), Pass-on gifts and profits from the Silver Back Company (Social business for the marketing of Cooperative produce). 

There are 26,426 municipal fishers that reside in the Verde Island Passage. However, the scope of the water is unable to support more than 50% of them.  Hence, fisher's organizations need to help the fishers find alternative means of income. 

SMARTSeas, along with other funding organizations, was able to provide an alternative livelihood that can support the community while practicing sustainability. Training activities, such as weaving and soapmaking classes, were provided to the members of SMST and SMBB. The purpose of this building block is to empower the citizens and reduce illegal fishing, by establishing other sources of income for family sustenance.

In the Philippines, every city and municipality is composed of various barangays, which is the smallest local government unit (LGU). SMARTSeas formed connections with the LGUs of Verde Island Passage to ensure that the implementation of fishing ordinances are observed among communities and the livelihood initiatives can be administered directly. Among the LGUs are Samahan ng mga Mangingisda ng San Teodoro (SMST; Fisher's Organization of San Teodoro) and Samahan ng mga Mangingisda ng Barangay Bagalangit (SMBB; Fisher's Organization of Barangay Bagalangit).

The purpose of this block is to raise the awareness of stakeholders on the climate smart GMP through communication by means adapted especially to the realities of the park area. The media to use depends on the level of intervention. For example, community radio and posters can be used to educate local people; online platforms are useful for a wide audience at the national and international level; and brochures are useful for visitors etc