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Characteristics of participatory monitoring projects and their relationship to decision-making in biological resource management: a review

Biodiversity and Conservation volume 25, pages 2001–2019 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

The main objective of participatory monitoring is to enable the local population, though lacking formal training, to participate in the systematic collection of information. Participatory monitoring has been increasingly adopted in recent decades as a way of devolving the power to make decisions about natural resource management from the government to more local institutions. However, participatory monitoring efforts are not always successful at translating the information obtained into management or conservation actions. Based on a review of the current literature, we selected 111 cases that applied participatory monitoring of biological resources, to determine the factors that influence the translation of information into decision-making for management. For this, we categorize the cases into two approaches based on their differences regarding conceptual lines: collaborative-learning and evidence-based, and then assessed which one is more successful in the use of information. According to the cases reviewed, information derived from the collaborative-learning approach was more often used in management decision-making. The use of information is also influenced by the degree of local decision-making power, meaning that in those cases where there are initiatives of decentralization for decision-making besides participatory monitoring, it is more possible that the information derived from monitoring is used to strengthen the local initiatives of management and conservation.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is part of Emma Villaseñor’s PhD research, which has been supported by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, the Instituto de Ecología, A.C., and the European Union Seventh Framework Program FP7/2007–2013 under grant agreement 282899, “Assessing the effectiveness of community-based management strategies for biocultural diversity conservation (COMBIOSERVE).” Financial support to M.R. Guariguata was provided by the CGIAR (Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers) Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Red de Ecología Funcional, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec #351 El Haya, 91070, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

    Emma Villaseñor, Luciana Porter-Bolland & Patricia Moreno-Casasola

  2. Red de Ecología, Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

    Federico Escobar

  3. Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia

    Manuel R. Guariguata

Authors
  1. Emma Villaseñor
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  2. Luciana Porter-Bolland
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  3. Federico Escobar
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  4. Manuel R. Guariguata
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  5. Patricia Moreno-Casasola
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luciana Porter-Bolland.

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Communicated by Neil Brummitt.

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Villaseñor, E., Porter-Bolland, L., Escobar, F. et al. Characteristics of participatory monitoring projects and their relationship to decision-making in biological resource management: a review. Biodivers Conserv 25, 2001–2019 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1184-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-016-1184-9

Keywords

  • Co-management
  • Community-based monitoring
  • Citizen science
  • Power devolution
  • Social learning
  • Stakeholder participation

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