Introduction to Forest Mapping and Monitoring Tools for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities

Indigenous Peoples are the guardians and the largest shareholders of the world’s remaining biodiversity. Conserving and monitoring biodiversity is intertwined with their livelihoods and food security. Indigenous Peoples have managed territories of these biodiverse landscapes over millennia. Yet their rights and access to these lands continue to be violated worldwide. Indigenous Peoples are still being displaced today, their forest tenure rights are violated, and their role as custodians of biodiversity and nature is undermined.

There are other frontline communities, such as Afro-descendents, pastoralists, fisherfolk, and others, who have also been protecting nature and facing challenges.

There is an abundance of spatial data, tools, and resources available to help protect, monitor, and manage forests worldwide. However, these resources are often not accessible to the Indigenous Peoples or other frontline communities who need them most. This course will support Indigenous or other frontline communities in mapping, monitoring, and managing community forests by providing introductory guidance on the use of existing forest mapping and monitoring tools, outlining their advantages and disadvantages, and guiding participants to select the tools that are optimal for their goals. The course will also discuss the issues of data governance, ownership and management, data safety and sovereignty, and explain how to leverage data for advocacy efforts to protect forests.