European Tropical Forest Research Network

Participatory assessment, monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity (PAMEB)

Internet workshop 7 - 25 January 2002, and policy seminar 21 May 2002
convened by the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford

22-24 January: Key theme 6: Enabling factors

Setting the scene
Introduction
Discussion results
Case studies
Further contributions by participants

Setting the scene

Taking into account recommendations arising from previous themes, in the last few days the E-discussion will focus on the institutional environment, i.e. policy, institutions and communication. This will lead into one of the most challenging issues that the workshop must address, that of institutional and political enabling factors. This seems to be uncharted territory and it is here that the workshop has a real opportunity to develop valuable recommendations based directly on the experience and reflections of participants.

This theme will address the following questions:

• How does existing policy (national and international) support successful participatory biodiversity assessment?
• Are there cases where policy makes such assessments difficult?
• What is needed to better implement supportive policy?
• How do institutional structures and relationships affect the success of participatory biodiversity assessment? How can we build on the most supportive examples and address constraints?
• What are the priorities for capacity-building? What should be the processes and content of such capacity building?
• What recommendations can we make for communicating results of biodiversity assessments, so that they are useful to particular stakeholders in particular contexts?

Introductions

Gadgil, M., Enabling policy and institutional factors, introduction to theme 6, Word (31 kb) or pdf (11 kb)

Schreckenberg, K., Enabling factors: Supportive policies and institutions; capacity building and communication, introduction to theme 6, Word (33 kb) or pdf (14 kb)

Discussion results

• Summary of Day 13, 22th January 2002 by Bianca Ambrose-Oji
• Summary of Day 14, 23th January 2002 by Izabella Koziell
• Summary of Day 15, 24th January 2002 by Sasha Barrow

Case studies

Danielsen F. et al., A simple system for monitoring biodiversity in protected areas of a developing country, Biodiversity & Conservation 9: 1671-1705, 2000. Kluwer Academic Publishers, abstract: Word (24 kb) or pdf (8 kb)
The full version is available online on the publisher's website after payment

Novotny, V, Assessment of biodiversity in megadiverse tropical countries: problems and a solution. Word (34 kb) or pdf (20 kb)
See also: Parataxonomist Training Center, Papua New Guinea and Ecological research in Papua New Guinea

Sharma, V., Capacity building of community organisations for biodiversity monitoring and management in Himachal Pradesh, Western Himalayas, India, Word (155 kb) or pdf (70 kb)

Further contributions by participants

Additional links on this theme

Bhattarai, T. R. et al., Participatory Action Research on Chiuri Tree: A Cornerstone for Understanding Community Forestry through Management of Non-Timber Forest Products in Central Nepal, Word (830 kb) or pdf (500 kb)

CBD, Participatory mechanisms for indigenous and local communities, Word (177 kb) or pdf (140 kb)
Source and copyright: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, http://www.biodiv.org/

CBD-SBSTTA. Sept 2001, Main Theme: Forest Biological Diversity - Report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Forest Biological Diversity to SBSTTA 7, Word (272 kb) or pdf (119 kb)
Source and copyright: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, http://www.biodiv.org/

Guijt, I., Contribution to discussion (23 Jan) and Ambrose-Oji, B., Contribution to discussion (23 Jan), Word (24 kb) or pdf (10 kb)

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Nov 2001. Earth Negotiations Bulletin, Vol. 9 No. 219, SBSTTA 7 final report, pdf (184 kb)

Rijsoort, J. van, Contribution to discussion (23 Jan), Word (26 kb) or pdf (11 kb)

Sheil, D., Contribution to discussion (24 Jan), Word (31 kb) or pdf (17 kb)

Thomas, W., Contribution to discussion (24 Jan), Word (26 kb) or pdf (12 kb)