This document is meant for researchers, field research supervisors and enumerators who would like guidance on developing maps with the participation of local communities. It is part of the Global Comparative Study on REDD+ (GCS REDD+) conducted by CIFOR with funding from multiple donors.

Participatory mapping represents a way of documenting land use and tenure arrangements across regions. It is also a way to learn about local perceptions of the landscape, and local people’s perspectives of forests and land management. These technical guidelines are based on CIFOR’s long-term experience with the use of participatory mapping in research.