Participatory monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity: results of the ETFRN e-workshop

Information on this ETFRN workshop, which took place in January 2002, have been made available and include a range of useful resources including a summary report, research inventory and background papers.This ETFRN workshop sought to examine a number of aspects of Participatory monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity including the ways in which values affect the assessment processapproaches and methods in relation to objectives and information needsthe costs and benefitspriorities for institutional / policy change to create an enabling environment. Among its key findings were that: It is very important to tailor objectives with methods and stakeholders, rather than apply a blanket set of recommendations to all situations which appear to need a participatory approach.Assessment is affected by value judgements, regardless of who is conducting the assessment. It is often assumed that local people value only useful species; but research reveals spiritual, cultural and ethical values; and that species or habitats with non-material values may be at least as important as those with uses. methods linking local and scientific assessments or values are scarce, and more work still needs to be done on the analysis and communication of results. Participatory approaches take more time and different skills compared with scientific surveys, but there are benefits that are worth this cost. The process of negotiating, observing and analysing indicators may bring about more change than the data gathered itself, and in particular can enhance benefit-sharing, as well as be more sustainable than externally led processes. However to achieve this, changes in education, training of scientists, and institutional networking are needed.[adapted from authors]