Mapping boundaries of Community Conserved Areas: Institutional and operational challenges

Pleased to share a poster presented at IUFRO 2014 World Congress

Congress Theme: Forests for People

Title: Mapping boundaries of Community Conserved Areas: Institutional and operational challenges

Authors: Swati Chaliha and Nimesh Ved

Abstract:

Defining spatial boundaries of Community Conserved Areas (CCA) are perceived as pertinent for stakeholders to have common understanding and for laying down operational rules. In Nagaland, India assigning natural features as boundaries have been a customary practice and cadastral maps do not exist. Having CCA boundaries here is crucial in the wake of current development and conservation paradigm. Process of mapping boundary led to myriad questions. While in one CCA of Nagaland, authors with villager’s support mapped boundary by walking with GPS receivers, and data analysed using GIS; in another CCA efforts involved equipping selected villagers with skills of using GPS for mapping. In the first case, an organized arrangement between traditional governing setup and institution managing CCA aided mapping process. In the second case, terrain was difficult and synchronization between different governing institutions was weak. Questions arose whether it is worth the effort and could notional boundaries solve the purpose. Villagers’ confusions ranged from whether they would lose land to if boundary could be amended at a later stage. These CCAs, differing in context, geography and institutional arrangements helped understand that multiple participatory approaches for mapping could be effective and aid management decisions of different nature in the CCAs.

Acknowledgement: 

NEPED, Everyone at Nagaland we interacted with in course of the visits - especially both the CCAs, FES, colleagues at Guwahati office and IUFRO.

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