Participatory Mapping: Gaining “Sense of Place” for Forest Conservation in the Manaslu Conservation Area, Nepal

Participatory mapping has emerged as a popular method in ethnobiological studies but has rarely been integrated with satellite mapping for more inclusive measure of landscape diversity. This study examines how participatory “ethnoecological” mapping can contribute to land-cover analyses derived from satellite “ecological” data of landscapes in the Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA), Nepal. Participants were asked to map their home territory as they perceive and interact with it. Local landscape knowledge was then transferred to classified satellite images to create a composite image of landscape diversity for the region. The final map linked local knowledge of landscape diversity with empirical classification of land cover types and enhanced understanding of the MCA as a “place” with symbolical and cultural meaning and use. This integrative analysis promotes collaborative learning about local places and local peoples’ perspectives on landscape which directly contribute towards landscape management and forest conservation in the MCA.