Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Our New Primer on Using Tech to Monitor Rainforests and Forest Peoples’ Rights

Tom Walker

Update February 2017 – the primer is now available in Spanish, French, Portuguese and Bahasa.

Do you work at an organisation that focuses on rainforest issues, land rights and indigenous rights? Ever wondered how technology could help you advocate more effectively?

We’ve been working with Rainforest Foundation Norway to help you and other organisations get the information you need.

We asked activists in the Amazon region, central Africa and south-east Asia how they used technology and data. They told us that knowing where to start is often the hardest part. So, we created a primer: a guide that shows how rainforest-focused projects are using technology, and suggests how to decide if it’s right for you.

The primer shows ways in which technology could help your work, highlights some tools that are available, and ways that they can be used. Then, it gives practical information to help you decide what you need.

It has been structured so that you don’t need to read the whole thing, but can explore sections that are relevant for you. It also points you towards other places where you can find more information in your region or in different languages.

Sound good? Read the online version here! Or download the full primer (1.6MB pdf).

We also identified some trends in how technology is being used to support rainforest-related projects:

  • Sharing information is getting easier: Internet access and mobile phone networks are spreading into previously isolated areas, and it’s now possible to collaborate with organisations from other countries (like the Amazon-focused network RAISG).
  • Tools are being developed specifically for rainforest organisations’ needs: A wide range of tools – many designed for use in rainforest environments – can now make it easier to campaign, monitor issues and share information within your organisation.
  • It’s simpler to find and use relevant data: Data on topics like land usage, forest cover and natural resources used to be hard to find, expensive and difficult to use. Now, this is starting to change – and it can be combined with on-the-ground information collected by civil society organisations, too.
  • Technology is cheaper and more powerful: More and more organisations can now think about accessing tools like smartphones and data visualisation software that were previously out of reach.

But some things haven’t changed:

Introducing any new tool takes time, money and effort. Technology is never a magic bullet and rarely a quick fix. No tool can replace the need for strong relationships with communities, based on trust and knowledge of local context.

Although technology can help organisations protect forests or people’s livelihoods, it also helps those with the opposite objectives, like governments seeking to suppress data or companies behaving illegally.

The primer describes all this and much more – check it out! Get in touch and book a call with us if you have a similar project and want hands-on support, suggestions, and pointers to comparable projects.

Image credit: Rainforest Foundation Norway – participatory mapping in Congo (DRC).

Nuestra primera guía sobre el uso de tecnología para monitorear los bosques tropicales y los derechos de los pueblos indígenas está aquí

En colaboración con la The Engine Room, hemos producido una guía para el uso de la tecnología en el monitoreo e intercambio de información sobre asuntos relacionados a los bosques tropicales, los derechos territoriales y los derechos de los pueblos indígenas.

La guía está diseñada como punto de partida para organizaciones y activistas interesados en incorporar la tecnología en la mejora de sus esfuerzos de defensa. También puede ser útil para las organizaciones que tienen cierta experiencia en el uso de la tecnología y quieren reflexionar sobre cómo aumentar el impacto de su trabajo.

La guía:

  • expone cómo la tecnología puede facilitar sus esfuerzos,
  • resalta algunas herramientas disponibles,
  • ofrece información práctica para ayudar al usuario a determinar sus necesidades, y
  • propone enlaces a guías más detalladas sobre cada herramienta y estrategia.

La estructura de la guía permite una consulta parcial y explorar secciones relevantes por separado si se desea obtener pautas más detalladas. Descargar la guía completa (1.6MB pdf) o leerla en línea.

Notre premier guide sur l’utilisation de la technologie pour surveiller les forêts tropicales et les droits des communautés locales est ici

En collaboration avec The Engine Room, nous avons produit un guide pour l’utilisation de la technologie pour suivre l’évolution et partager des informations sur les questions liées à la forêt tropicale, les droits à la terre et les droits des communautés locales.

Le guide vise à fournir une base de départ pour les organisations et les activistes souhaitant améliorer leurs activités de plaidoyer grâce à la technologie, mais peut aussi être utile aux organisations en ayant déjà fait l’expérience, fournissant des indications sur la manière de renforcer l’impact de leurs activités.

Cet ouvrage élémentaire:

  • Démontre comment la technologie peut contribuer à vos travaux;
  • Présente certains des outils disponibles;
  • Fournit des informations pratiques qui vous permettront d’évaluer vos propres besoins;
  • Vous oriente vers des sources d’informations détaillées sur des outils et stratégies spécifiques.

Nous l’avons structuré de telle sorte que vous pouvez explorer les sections qui sont pertinentes pour vous, sans devoir lire tout. Il vous indique également d’autres endroits où vous pouvez trouver plus d’informations dans votre région ou dans des langues différentes. Voulez-vous en savoir plus? Téléchargez le guide introductif complet (1,6 MB pdf), ou consultez-le dans notre bibliothèque.

Uma introdução ao uso da tecnologia para monitorar e compartilhar informações sobre problemas das florestas tropicais, direito à terra e direito dos indígenas

Temos trabalhado com The Engine Room para criar uma introdução ao uso da tecnologia para monitorar e compartilhar informações sobre problemas das florestas tropicais, direito à terra e direito dos indígenas.

Foi criada para ser o ponto de partida para organizações e ativistas interessados no uso da tecnologia melhorarem seu trabalho de defesa e proteção, mas também pode ser útil para que organizações com alguma experiência no uso da tecnologia reflitam sobre como podem aumentar o impacto do seu trabalho.

Esta cartilha:

  • Demonstra de que maneiras a tecnologia pode ajudar no seu trabalho,
  • Destaca algumas das ferramentas que estão disponíveis,
  • Fornece informações práticas para ajudar você a decidir o que precisa, e
  • Fornece links para maiores detalhes sobre ferramentas e estratégias específicas.

A cartilha foi estruturada de forma que você não precisa ler tudo, mas pode explorar as seções que forem relevantes para você e usá-las para encontrar orientação mais detalhada.

Baixe a cartilha completa (1.6MB pdf), ou leia abaixo online.

Entre em contato conosco se você tiver um projeto semelhante e quiser suporte prático!

Panduan penggunaan teknologi untuk memonitor dan berbagi informasi mengenai isu-isu hutan hujan, hak atas tanah dan hak-hak adat

Rainforest Foundation Norway dan The Engine Room telah bekerja sama untuk menciptakan panduan penggunaan teknologi untuk memonitor dan berbagi informasi mengenai isu-isu hutan hujan, hak atas tanah dan hak-hak adat. Pengantar ini adalah produk kemitraan antara

La dirancang sebagai titik awal bagi organisasi atau para aktivis yang tertarik menggunakan teknologi untuk meningkatkan kerja advokasi mereka, namun ia juga bermanfaat bagi organisasi yang telah memiliki pengalaman menggunakan teknologi dan ingin tahu bagaimana meningkatkan dampak dari pekerjaan mereka.

Panduan ini:

  • menunjukkan cara bagaimana teknologi dapat membantu pekerjaan Anda,
  • menyoroti berbagai perangkat yang tersedia,
  • memberikan informasi praktis untuk membantu memutuskan apa yang Anda perlukan, dan
  • memberikan tautan untuk panduan yang lebih detail mengenai perangkat dan strategi khusus.

Panduan ini telah dibuat secara terstruktur sehingga Anda tidak perlu membaca semua, melainkan dapat mempelajari bagian-bagian yang relevan dengan Anda dan mengunakannya untuk mengetahui pedoman yang lebih detail. Unduh semua pengantar (1.6MB pdf) atau baca secara online di bawah ini.

Dapatkan berhubungan dengan kami jika Anda memiliki proyek serupa dan ingin tangan-pada dukungan atau saran.

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