Community Based Monitoring System

Monitoring socioecological impacts of policy interventions aimed at changing land use practices is a major challenge in sustainable development and conservation. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) intends to compensate local stakeholders for demonstrated carbon emission reduction and increased removals accounted for internationally, whilst promoting social and environmental benefits locally. Thus, monitoring REDD+ inherently requires the use of interdisciplinary data at different scales. Forest carbon monitoring, central to REDD+, is considerably advanced, yet the progress on social and environmental monitoring systems is uneven. We argue that scalar and interdisciplinary integration of REDD+ monitoring is crucial to uncover and understand trade-offs and synergies on which effectiveness, efficiency and equity of REDD+ may depend. We review previous efforts in integrating environmental and social monitoring, as well as efforts specific to REDD+, and discuss how old and new knowledge can contribute towards integrated monitoring. We observe that there are many challenges, but strong advantages, in an integrated monitoring approach. The current emergence of diverging standards and methodologies with narrow focus can inform future integrative efforts but could, in the long run, hinder coherence in national processes. We conclude that recent technological advances open new opportunities to integrate information across scale and disciplines, leveraging and combining existing data with targeted additional measures. The application of mixed methods in data collection can foster integration, in particular from the local level upwards. However, this requires greater coordination at the higher levels to efficiently upscale multiple data streams. The unequal standpoint of carbon, social and environmental monitoring efforts provide a timely opportunity to promote integration, learn from advances in carbon monitoring, and build on existing and emerging platforms and tools that are locally to globally relevant.

Introduction. In the task of sustainable poverty reduction in Vietnam in particular and in the world in general, making
an important contribution to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the
Communist Party of Vietnam, not only for a rich people, strong, democratic, just and civilized country Vietnam will not
only end persistent poverty but also solve the millennium goal of eradicating illiteracy and improving the educational
level of poor households and near poverty.
Research methodology. This article takes the method of dialectical materialism and historical materialism of MarxismLeninism as the theoretical basis. On that basis, we went on to look for some of resources of Marx, Engels and Ho
Chi Minh, Documents of the Party Congress, Resolutions and Directives of the Communist Party of Vietnam and
Government Vietnam.
Results. Firstly, promoting the tasks of propaganda, education, raising awareness and responsibility for poverty
reduction according to multi-dimensional poverty line in Vietnam. Secondly, promoting the tasks of propaganda,
education, raising awareness and responsibility for poverty reduction according to multi-dimensional poverty
line in Vietnam. Thirdly, the decisive factor for the success of poverty reduction according to the poverty line is a
multidimensional approach in Vietnam the will to be self-reliant and self-reliant to get out of poverty of poor and nearpoor households. Fourthly, effectively mobilizing and using investment resources for poverty reduction under multidimensional povety line in Vietnam. Fifthly, continuing to improve and promote the implementation of policies and
law on poverty reduction, multi-dimensional poverty line. Sixthly, strengthening legal aid for the poor in the remote,
border and island areas so that they can raise awareness, knowledge of laws to avoid falling into the disadvantaged
groups in society. Seventhly, promoting propaganda, advocacy to raise awareness for the poor so they understand
the value of vocational training, why should they participate in vocational training classes what they get after that.
Eighthly, strengthen the leadership, direction, inspection and supervision in the management, administration and
implementation of poverty reduction policies according to the multi-dimensional poverty line in Vietnam.
Practical significance. Poverty reduction according to poverty standards is a multi-dimensional approach that is
popular with the people, so it soon comes to life and is supported by the people and has been integrated to life which
make the appearance of districts, communes and poor households change remarkably, narrowing the gap of living
standards between urban and rural areas, between areas and group of residents,make an important contribution to
the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam
for a prosperous and happy.

Introduction: The system of Community Based Monitoring (CBM) was implemented as a project in five districts of the State of Maharashtra. In each district three blocks and in each block 3 Primary Health Centers were included.

Objectives: We conducted the study to assess the implementation process and effects of the implementation after three years of execution.

Material and Methods: The study was carried out with the help of Community Medicine Departments from nearby Medical Colleges. First we selected 45 sub centers from the project implementing areas and equal numbers were selected for comparison from three blocks from Non-CBM implementing area.

Results: Only 44.44% ANMs were trained in CBM process. We did not find any difference between the CBM and Non-CBM group of sub centers in the assessment of sub centers, ANMs, services provided and expenditure incurred. Difference was observed in displaying of village wise health days calendar and registration of ante natal women.

Conclusions: Small proportion of ANM had undergone the training and secondly the duration of the training was not uniform. This may be the reason for lack of difference in the two groups.

The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) and the University of Dar es Salaam supported this research. CARTA is jointly led by the African Population and Health Research Center and the University of the Witwatersrand and funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK)(Grant No: 087547/Z/08/Z), the Department for International Development (DfID) under the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE), the Carnegie Corporation of New York (Grant No: B 8606), the Ford Foundation (Grant No: 1100-0399),Google.Org (Grant No: 191994), Sida (Grant No: 54100029) and MacArthur Foundation Grant No: 10-95915-000-INP. The funding organizations did not contribute to the design of the study or analysis and interpretation of the data.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) is a potentially powerful international policy mechanism that many tropical countries are working towards implementing. Thus far, limited practical consideration has been paid to local rights to forests and forest resources in REDD+ readiness programs, beyond noting the importance of these issues. Previous studies have shown that community members can reliably and cost-effectively monitor forest biomass. At the same time, this can improve local ownership and forge important links between monitoring activities and local decision-making. Existing studies have, however, been static assessments of biomass at one point in time. REDD+ programs will require repeated surveys of biomass over extended time frames. Here, we examine trends in accuracy and costs of local forest monitoring over time. We analyse repeated measurements by community members and professional foresters of 289 plots over two years in four countries in Southeast Asia. This shows, for the first time, that with repeated measurements community members' biomass measurements become increasingly accurate and costs decline. These findings provide additional support to available evidence that community members can play a strong role in monitoring forest biomass in the local implementation of REDD+.

During the 23 rd session of the FAO-Committee on Forestry (COFO 23) held in July 2016, the voluntary guidelines on national forest monitoring were approved. These guidelines were generated to support FAO member countries on the starting-up and the implementation of their national forest monitoring systems (NFMS). Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the decision 1/CP.16 encouraged to developing country Parties to undertake actions for REDD+, and requested, inter alia: i) to develop a forest reference emission level and/of forest reference level (FREL/REL) as a baseline for the emission reductions report, and ii) a transparent and robust NFMS. This paper examines the technical assessments from UNFCCC of the FREL/REL submitted by six countries in relation to technical needs for the NFMS setting up. The analysis suggests the need to improve the procurement of ground-base data, to comply the quality of the estimations on forest emission changes, to complete the carbon stocks estimations, and to estimate the associated uncertainties. The strategic and technical planning of the NFMS is also needed, to be able to reach the acceptable preparation level for measuring, reporting and verification system of REDD+, and the FAO voluntary guidelines are a helpful tool for the step-wise approach development.

Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems are thought to be essential for effective carbon accounting and joint REDD+ carbon, conservation, and social development goals. Community participation in MRV (PMRV) has been shown to be both cost effective and accurate, as well as a method to potentially advance stakeholder empowerment and perceptions of legitimacy. Recognizing land tenure as a long-standing point of tension in REDD+ planning, we argue that its engagement also has a key role to play in developing a legitimate PMRV. Using household surveys, key informant interviews, and participatory mapping exercises, we present three 'lived' land tenure contexts in Indonesia to highlight their socially and ecologically situated natures and to consider the role of tenure pluralism in shaping PMRV. We then raise and interrogate three questions for incorporating lived land tenure contexts into a legitimate PMRV system: 1) Who holds the right to conduct PMRV activities?; 2) How are the impacts of PMRV differentially distributed within local communities?; and 3) What is the relationship between tenure security and motivation to participate in PMRV? We conclude with implementation lessons for REDD+ practitioners, including the benefits of collaborative practices, and point to critical areas for further research.

During the past couple of years, the CBMS-Viet Nam project has cooperated with local partners in five provinces located in five different regions to conduct poverty studies. This paper presents the results of the CBMS implementation in these localities and, in particular, illustrates ...

Community-based monitoring (CBM) is one of the- most sustainable ways of establishing a national forest monitoring system for successful Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) implementation. In this research, we present the details of the National Forest Conservation Program (PNCB—Programa Nacional de Conservación de Bosques para la Mitigación del Cambio Climático), Peru, from a satellite-based alert perspective. We examined the community’s involvement in forest monitoring and investigated the usability of 1853 CBM data in conjunction with 445 satellite-based alerts. The results confirm that Peru’s PCNB contributed significantly to the REDD+ scheme, and that the CBM data provided rich information on the process and drivers of forest change. We also identified some of the challenges faced in the existing system, such as delays in satellite-based alert transfer to communities, sustaining community participation, data quality and integration, data flow, and...

During the past couple of years, the CBMS-Viet Nam project has cooperated with local partners in five provinces located in five different regions to conduct poverty studies. This paper presents the results of the CBMS implementation in these localities and, in particular, illustrates ...

Poverty in developing countries is multifaceted and requires a comprehensive strategy to pinpoint the poor through a methodology that works and is designed for all. The pilot-test and implementation of the community-based monitoring system (CBMS) under the PAGE Project demonstrated the use of CBMS methodology to generate necessary household and individual level data to measure poverty through its census-based methodology. This study demonstrates the use of CBMS data for the conduct of multifaceted-poverty analysis particularly in the case of two CBMS sites in Punjab Province in Pakistan. The data was collected at each household within the premises of one urban Union Council in district Mandi Bahauddin and one rural Union Council in Rawalpindi district. The poverty determination is done through the Poverty Score Card (also called ‘Progress out of Poverty’ Index). By using the PSC weights as per the work of Mark Schriener (2005) on Pakistan data, the overall scores at household and individual level are calculated using data from the CBMS census in the study sites.
The study aims to examine the differences in poverty conditions between rural and urban livings in the Punjab province. The adoption of the CBMS methodology is found to be useful, in terms of its capacity, to provide grassroots level data that lacks in Pakistan. All MDGs reports in Pakistan are based on Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Surveys (PSLM) and Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) are aimed to measure poverty based on consumption indicators. Some of the PSLM reports have data at district level but HIES part does not collect information even at district level. This means that no poverty statistics are ever calculated in Pakistan that are representative below provincial level. The CBMS-Pakistan study aims to provide empirical evidence on the nature and extent of poverty condition at the grassroots level covering analysis of data on demography, health, education, employment and income and livelihood situation at the local level using the cases of the selected CBMS project sites. The core users of the CBMS data are local government departments can use these statistics to design social welfare strategies at local level and develop a framework on poverty alleviation at grassroots level.

During the past couple of years, the CBMS-Viet Nam project has cooperated with local partners in five provinces located in five different regions to conduct poverty studies. This paper presents the results of the CBMS implementation in these localities and, in particular, illustrates ...

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) is a potentially powerful international policy mechanism that many tropical countries are working towards implementing. Thus far, limited practical consideration has been paid to local rights to forests and forest resources in REDD+ readiness programs, beyond noting the importance of these issues. Previous studies have shown that community members can reliably and cost-effectively monitor forest biomass. At the same time, this can improve local ownership and forge important links between monitoring activities and local decision-making. Existing studies have, however, been static assessments of biomass at one point in time. REDD+ programs will require repeated surveys of biomass over extended time frames. Here, we examine trends in accuracy and costs of local forest monitoring over time. We analyse repeated measurements by community members and professional foresters of 289 plots over two years in four countries in Southeast Asia. This shows, for the first time, that with repeated measurements community members' biomass measurements become increasingly accurate and costs decline. These findings provide additional support to available evidence that community members can play a strong role in monitoring forest biomass in the local implementation of REDD+.

This paper reviews research which has investigated community skills for carbon (and other natural resource) monitoring. The assessment focuses on the reliability of the data, the cost of community monitoring (CM) versus expert surveys, and the broader benefits and challenges of involving communities in the process. We identify the tasks considered necessary for carbon monitoring inventories. The review finds that CM is useful and cost-effective for REDD+ carbon monitoring. In particular, forest inventories communities can provide forest enhancement data unobtainable by other means at the scale required. CM is particularly helpful in assessing rates of forest degradation, and would densify a national forest inventory in community management areas. We conclude that communities can assess above ground biomass, monitor social and environmental variables, and store and transmit the data.

Madagascar is an important foraging ground for marine turtles in the Western Indian Ocean, yet the status of the country's nesting aggregations remains poorly documented. We assess the current status and trend in nesting throughout Madagascar, including data recorded by a community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles (western Madagascar). We contextualize the findings in comparison with data from Madagascar's closest neighbouring states. Reports indicate that nesting levels have declined at many coastal sites, with no known recordings since 2000 at > 40 nesting sites. We estimate there are a minimum of 1,200 nests per year in Madagascar, with the largest recorded nesting aggregation (< 1,000 nests per year) found on islands off the west and northern coasts. The majority of nesting aggregations, including those recorded by the community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles, are relatively small, in the order of < 50 nests per year, yet they are poten...

The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) and the University of Dar es Salaam supported this research. CARTA is jointly led by the African Population and Health Research Center and the University of the Witwatersrand and funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK)(Grant No: 087547/Z/08/Z), the Department for International Development (DfID) under the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE), the Carnegie Corporation of New York (Grant No: B 8606), the Ford Foundation (Grant No: 1100-0399),Google.Org (Grant No: 191994), Sida (Grant No: 54100029) and MacArthur Foundation Grant No: 10-95915-000-INP. The funding organizations did not contribute to the design of the study or analysis and interpretation of the data.

Countries at the United Nations Framework on the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have decided to engage local communities and indigenous groups into the activities for the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of the program to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and increase carbon removals (REDD+). Previous research and projects have shown that communities can produce reliable data on forest area and carbon estimates through field measurements. The objective of this article is to describe the framework that is being created for REDD+ under the UNFCCC to identify the potential inclusion of local information produced through community-based monitoring (CBM) into monitoring systems for REDD+. National systems could use different sources of information from CBM: first, local information can be produced as part of public programs by increasing sample size of national or regional inventories; second, government can collect information to produce carbon estimates from ongoing management practices implemented at local level driven by access to local direct benefits (e.g., forest management plans, watershed conservation); third, national data systems could include information from projects participating in carbon markets and other certification schemes; and finally information will be produced as part of the activities associated to the implementation of social and environmental safeguards. Locally generated data on carbon and areas under different forms of management can be dovetailed into national systems and be used to describe management practices, complement existing information or replace Tier 1/2 values with more detailed local data produced by CBM.

Assessing forest changes is the baseline requirement for successful forest management. Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) are three essential components for achieving such assessments. Community participation in resource monitoring and management is increasingly seen as a scientifically efficient, cost-effective, and equitable way to employ such practices, particularly in the context of REDD+. We developed a multidisciplinary approach to study the feasibility of Participatory MRV (PMRV) across three sites along a forest degradation gradient in Indonesia. We looked at both the local and national level needs of MRV. Our approach combines: (1) social research focusing on the enabling conditions for local participation in MRV; (2) governance analyses of existing MRV systems in forestry and health; and (3) remote sensing work comparing overlaps and gaps between satellite imagery and local assessments of forest changes. We considered in our approach the possible multiple benefits of PMRV (carbon mitigation, biodiversity conservation, livelihood security). Our study helped to identify the multiple stakeholders (communities, NGOs and governments) and what the levels of governance should be to make PMRV design and implementation feasible and sustainable.

Assessing forest changes is the baseline requirement for successful forest management. Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) are three essential components for achieving such assessments. Community participation in resource monitoring and management is increasingly seen as a scientifically efficient, cost-effective, and equitable way to employ such practices, particularly in the context of REDD+. We developed a multidisciplinary approach to study the feasibility of Participatory MRV (PMRV) across three sites along a forest degradation gradient in Indonesia. We looked at both the local and national level needs of MRV. Our approach combines: (1) social research focusing on the enabling conditions for local participation in MRV; (2) governance analyses of existing MRV systems in forestry and health; and (3) remote sensing work comparing overlaps and gaps between satellite imagery and local assessments of forest changes. We considered in our approach the possible multiple benefits of PMRV (carbon mitigation, biodiversity conservation, livelihood security). Our study helped to identify the multiple stakeholders (communities, NGOs and governments) and what the levels of governance should be to make PMRV design and implementation feasible and sustainable.

The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) and the University of Dar es Salaam supported this research. CARTA is jointly led by the African Population and Health Research Center and the University of the Witwatersrand and funded by the Wellcome Trust (UK)(Grant No: 087547/Z/08/Z), the Department for International Development (DfID) under the Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DelPHE), the Carnegie Corporation of New York (Grant No: B 8606), the Ford Foundation (Grant No: 1100-0399),Google.Org (Grant No: 191994), Sida (Grant No: 54100029) and MacArthur Foundation Grant No: 10-95915-000-INP. The funding organizations did not contribute to the design of the study or analysis and interpretation of the data.

The involvement of local communities in forest monitoring is one meaningful way in which they can take on responsibilities for REDD+ and be rewarded for their inputs. The Community Carbon Accounting Project shows that through well-designed training and support programmes, the capacity of local people can be built to take forest measurements for accurate and precise estimates of forest carbon stock changes.

The use of smartphones for data collection has opened up new opportunities for communities wishing to engage in community-based monitoring. While information and communication technology (ICT) is able to systematize data collection, complex functions and observation types can present challenges for community members. ICT also may skew community participation towards young men, as they are sometimes more comfortable using smartphones. This study investigates the success and cost-effectiveness of having local forest monitors use ICT to collect data on forest crimes and forest resources in Prey Lang, Cambodia. A workshop was held with the Prey Lang Community Network to identify the resources and illegal activities to be monitored. Guided by the community members, a smartphone app was subsequently developed and a total of 36 community members were trained in its use. We examined the extent to which the capacity of community members to collect data was dependent upon the complexity of the ICT and on their age and gender. We also assessed the costs of the monitoring program over a two-year period. The community members were able to collect large amounts of data regardless of their gender or age. They made 10,842 entries of data on illegal logging and forest resources. Increased complexity of the app had no impact on the proportion of quality data collected. The cost of monitoring resembled other community-based monitoring programs but was notably less than for monitoring by professional foresters. Our findings suggest that local communities with little formal education are able to monitor forest crimes and forest resources cost-effectively using ICT; however, while the documentation collected was highly valuable, software and hardware maintenance, along with the digital data validation process, will continue to require external support.

Attitude of employees coupled with cultural factors has continued to dictate the gender-based division of labor, rights, responsibilities, opportunities, and access to and control over resources. Likewise, women participation in management position at work place is still questionable in many developing countries including Tanzania. This paper is set to determine the factors which influence women participation in LGAs in Morogoro district that constitutes Morogoro municipal and district council. A cross-sectional research design was adopted and both multistage and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 192 employees involved in the study. Structured interview and focus group discussion were the main methods used for data collection. This paper adopts the Likert scale for examining employee's attitudes towards women's participation in decision making position at workplace. Results revealed that there were no marked difference between response from male and femal...

Versión en inglés disponible en la Biblioteca Digital del IDRC: Progress relies on sound information in the PhilippinesVersión en francés disponible en la Biblioteca Digital del IDRC: Aux Philippines, les progrès reposent sur une information rigoureuseCatorce años después de la primera prueba, el sistema de seguimiento comunitario se implantó en toda Filipinas con un fuerte respaldo de todos los niveles de gobierno. Los variados usos de la información obtenida van desde la planificación y focalización de programas hasta la asignación presupuestal. El sistema es utilizado también para monitorear los avances del país hacia los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio

Version anglaise disponible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI: Cambodia pits data against povertyVersion espagnole disponible dans la Bibliothèque numérique du CRDI: Camboya extrae datos para eliminar la pobrezaDes données à jour précises sur la pauvreté des communes au Cambodge constituent un atout précieux. Non seulement les conseils communaux peuvent-ils mieux répondre aux besoins des citoyens, mais ils peuvent également faire appel aux bailleurs de fonds pour résoudre des problèmes urgents

This paper investigates modalities required to design and implement community monitoring of forest carbon stock changes and safeguards implementation in Kenya. General principles and elements were drawn from the UNFCCC REDD+ policy frameworks for developing modalities and procedures for designing community forest monitoring system. The paper utilised policy analysis approach used to derive monitoring goals and objectives by assessing the compatibility of Kenya's policy and legislative framework with monitoring elements provided in the UNFCCC REDD+ policy mechanism. The elements included monitoring goals, objectives, questions, indicators, and methods and tools. Two goals were identified which included, reduction of forest carbon emissions (ER) and monitoring of multiple social and environmental safeguards (SG). Five ER related objectives were identified to include: forest reference emission levels or forest reference levels, drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, Land use activities, eligible ER actions and estimation of forest emissions. Six objectives guiding SG were identified to include: policy, governance, human rights, socio-economic, biodiversity and environmental concerns. Corresponding questions to the goals and objectives were systematically designed. In turns, indicators, depicting quantitative and qualitative measurements, which best provided answers to questions were identified. The various methods and tools used by communities around the world in providing data and information required to satisfy the indictors were identified through literature review. The review identified four methods and tools that included: Remote Sensing and GIS, GPS survey, smartphone survey and Ground trothing. Smartphone and cloud-based server technology were found to be the recent emergent tools in aiding community monitoring of REDD+ projects. The paper argues that local communities and indigenous peoples have the capability and capacity to monitor and undertake forest carbon monitoring and tracking of implementation of safeguards if supported with relevant training; compensated for the time, labour and knowledge they contribute to the process; provided with feedback and involved decision making process.

Background Indonesia is one of several countries in the world leading the way in the design and implementation of REDD+ (Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). It is currently in the second phase of implementing policy reforms and REDD+ pilots and transitioning towards the third phase of performance-based payments. During this third phase, REDD+ policies and activities will be fully implemented, carbon stocks will be measured and verified and payments will be distributed based on performance at different levels. REDD+ implementation is closely observed by multiple stakeholders; and guidelines for REDD+ safeguards are now available. Yet there continues to be a growing concern globally that if REDD+ is not implemented in a socially sensitive manner, it may risk reinforcing the societal and institutional structures that are already marginalizing women. Indonesia, like many other countries, is prone to these gendered risks given the historically entrenched male-do...

Participatory Measurement, Reporting and Verification (PMRV), in the context of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation with its co-benefits (REDD+) requires sustained monitoring and reporting by community members. This requirement appears challenging and has yet to be achieved. Other successful, long established, community self-monitoring and reporting systems may provide valuable lessons. The Indonesian integrated village healthcare program (Posyandu) was initiated in the 1980s and still provides effective and successful participatory measurement and reporting of child health status across the diverse, and often remote, communities of Indonesia. Posyandu activities focus on the growth and development of children under the age of five by recording their height and weight and reporting these monthly to the Ministry of Health. Here we focus on the local Posyandu personnel (kaders) and their motivations and incentives for contributing. While Posyandu and REDD+ mea...

This paper investigates modalities required to design and implement community monitoring of forest carbon stock changes and safeguards implementation in Kenya. General principles and elements were drawn from the UNFCCC REDD+ policy frameworks for developing modalities and procedures for designing community forest monitoring system. The paper utilised policy analysis approach used to derive monitoring goals and objectives by assessing the compatibility of Kenya's policy and legislative framework with monitoring elements provided in the UNFCCC REDD+ policy mechanism. The elements included monitoring goals, objectives, questions, indicators, and methods and tools. Two goals were identified which included, reduction of forest carbon emissions (ER) and monitoring of multiple social and environmental safeguards (SG). Five ER related objectives were identified to include: forest reference emission levels or forest reference levels, drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, Land use activities, eligible ER actions and estimation of forest emissions. Six objectives guiding SG were identified to include: policy, governance, human rights, socioeconomic , biodiversity and environmental concerns. Corresponding questions to the goals and objectives were systematically designed. In turns, indicators, depicting quantitative and J. G. Muchemi et al. 458 qualitative measurements, which best provided answers to questions were identified. The various methods and tools used by communities around the world in providing data and information required to satisfy the indictors were identified through literature review. The review identified four methods and tools that included: Remote Sensing and GIS, GPS survey, smartphone survey and Ground trothing. Smartphone and cloud-based server technology were found to be the recent emergent tools in aiding community monitoring of REDD+ projects. The paper argues that local communities and indigenous peoples have the capability and capacity to monitor and undertake forest carbon monitoring and tracking of implementation of safeguards if supported with relevant training; compensated for the time, labour and knowledge they contribute to the process; provided with feedback and involved decision making process.

In response to the commentary by Jens Friis Lund we suggest that the problem lies not in community monitoring but in the way the reward systems are designed. For the case of REDD? we propose that if payments are made for inputs rather than for outputs, the problem can largely be resolved. Keywords Monitoring Á REDD? Á Community Á Reward systems Á Power There are two main arguments in favour of community based environmental monitoring. The first is that, in addition to possessing the kind of specialized and localized information that is part of local knowledge systems, communities are able to collect information for external requirements, of a similar quality to professionally gathered data, and at lower cost. The second is that the process of monitoring and recording this data empowers, by strengthening environmental, social and institutional capacity at the local level (Knowles et al. 2010; McCall 2011). As regards the first, and taking the case of monitoring for REDD? as an example, it is clear that errors in measurement of carbon stock may result from a variety of causes, including physical measurement errors in the field, various types of sampling uncertainty, especially representativeness in the sample frame, failure to find the exact location of the 'permanent' plot during re-measurement, errors in the transmission of field measurements into a database and errors incurred by the use of inappropriate allometric equations; the latter is the most likely source of error, according to Chave et al. (2004). In practice most of these errors can apply as much to contracted forest surveyors as to community monitors, assuming that the community monitors follow a well-designed protocol and receive sound training. Various studies have indicated that under these conditions, community data is

Participatory Measurement, Reporting and Verification (PMRV), in the context of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation with its co-benefits (REDD+) requires sustained monitoring and reporting by community members. This requirement appears challenging and has yet to be achieved. Other successful, long established, community self-monitoring and reporting systems may provide valuable lessons. The Indonesian integrated village healthcare program (Posyandu) was initiated in the 1980s and still provides effective and successful participatory measurement and reporting of child health status across the diverse, and often remote, communities of Indonesia. Posyandu activities focus on the growth and development of children under the age of five by recording their height and weight and reporting these monthly to the Ministry of Health. Here we focus on the local Posyandu personnel (kaders) and their motivations and incentives for contributing. While Posyandu and REDD+ measurement and reporting activities differ, there are sufficient commonalities to draw useful lessons. We find that the Posyandu kaders are motivated by their interests in health care, by their belief that it benefits the community, and by encouragement by local leaders. Recognition from the community, status within the system, training opportunities, competition among communities, and small payments provide incentives to sustain participation. We examine these lessons in the context of REDD+.

The participation of local people in climate change mitigation is considered key to ensuring that their priorities are taken into account. This should help to design effective social safeguards and to improve equity in benefit sharing. The participation of local people has been explored in carbon emission Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+. The feasibility and sustainability of participatory MRV (PMRV) are not automatic and depend on its relevance to local people (including incentives to participate), their technical capacity and the existence of appropriate structures for MRV.

Madagascar is an important foraging ground for marine turtles in the Western Indian Ocean, yet the status of the country's nesting aggregations remains poorly documented. We assess the current status and trend in nesting throughout Madagascar, including data recorded by a community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles (western Madagascar). We contextualize the findings in comparison with data from Madagascar's closest neighbouring states. Reports indicate that nesting levels have declined at many coastal sites, with no known recordings since 2000 at > 40 nesting sites. We estimate there are a minimum of 1,200 nests per year in Madagascar, with the largest recorded nesting aggregation (< 1,000 nests per year) found on islands off the west and northern coasts. The majority of nesting aggregations, including those recorded by the community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles, are relatively small, in the order of < 50 nests per year, yet they are poten...

The use of smartphones for data collection has opened up new opportunities for communities wishing to engage in community-based monitoring. While information and communication technology (ICT) is able to systematize data collection, complex functions and observation types can present challenges for community members. ICT also may skew community participation towards young men, as they are sometimes more comfortable using smartphones. This study investigates the success and cost-effectiveness of having local forest monitors use ICT to collect data on forest crimes and forest resources in Prey Lang, Cambodia. A workshop was held with the Prey Lang Community Network to identify the resources and illegal activities to be monitored. Guided by the community members, a smartphone app was subsequently developed and a total of 36 community members were trained in its use. We examined the extent to which the capacity of community members to collect data was dependent upon the complexity of the ICT and on their age and gender. We also assessed the costs of the monitoring program over a two-year period. The community members were able to collect large amounts of data regardless of their gender or age. They made 10,842 entries of data on illegal logging and forest resources. Increased complexity of the app had no impact on the proportion of quality data collected. The cost of monitoring resembled other community-based monitoring programs but was notably less than for monitoring by professional foresters. Our findings suggest that local communities with little formal education are able to monitor forest crimes and forest resources cost-effectively using ICT; however, while the documentation collected was highly valuable, software and hardware maintenance, along with the digital data validation process, will continue to require external support.

The use of smartphones for data collection has opened up new opportunities for communities wishing to engage in community-based monitoring. While information and communication technology (ICT) is able to systematize data collection, complex functions and observation types can present challenges for community members. ICT also may skew community participation towards young men, as they are sometimes more comfortable using smartphones. This study investigates the success and cost-effectiveness of having local forest monitors use ICT to collect data on forest crimes and forest resources in Prey Lang, Cambodia. A workshop was held with the Prey Lang Community Network to identify the resources and illegal activities to be monitored. Guided by the community members, a smartphone app was subsequently developed and a total of 36 community members were trained in its use. We examined the extent to which the capacity of community members to collect data was dependent upon the complexity of the ICT and on their age and gender. We also assessed the costs of the monitoring program over a two-year period. The community members were able to collect large amounts of data regardless of their gender or age. They made 10,842 entries of data on illegal logging and forest resources. Increased complexity of the app had no impact on the proportion of quality data collected. The cost of monitoring resembled other community-based monitoring programs but was notably less than for monitoring by professional foresters. Our findings suggest that local communities with little formal education are able to monitor forest crimes and forest resources cost-effectively using ICT; however, while the documentation collected was highly valuable, software and hardware maintenance, along with the digital data validation process, will continue to require external support.

The participation of local people in climate change mitigation is considered key to ensuring that their priorities are taken into account. This should help to design effective social safeguards and to improve equity in benefit sharing. The participation of local people has been explored in carbon emission Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+. The feasibility and sustainability of participatory MRV (PMRV) are not automatic and depend on its relevance to local people (including incentives to participate), their technical capacity and the existence of appropriate structures for MRV.

In the context of REDD+, Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) is one way to manage forest change information. A national carbon and non-carbon database will be used in REDD+ to negotiate compensation schemes with the international community. Much of this data will be collected at the local level, thus a reporting system that can integrate these locally collected data into the national database is crucial. In this paper we compare and draw lessons from three existing local to national reporting systems that include the participation of local communities: 1) the government extension services, 2) the government owned forestry company, and 3) a private logging company in Indonesia, and provide recommendations for REDD+ reporting systems. The results suggest that the main desired conditions for effective data flow are: benefits to motivate local participation, based on contributions to reporting activities; simple data format and reporting procedures to allow local participation in the reporting process, and to support data aggregation at the national level; a facilitator to mediate data aggregation at the village level to ensure data consistency, completeness and accuracy; and a transparent and clear data flow. Under these conditions, continuous, accountable and consistent data flow from the local level will reach the national level where it can be fully utilized.

Assessing forest changes is the baseline requirement for successful forest management. Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) are three essential components for achieving such assessments. Community participation in resource monitoring and management is increasingly seen as a scientifically efficient, cost-effective, and equitable way to employ such practices, particularly in the context of REDD+. We developed a multidisciplinary approach to study the feasibility of Participatory MRV (PMRV) across three sites along a forest degradation gradient in Indonesia. We looked at both the local and national level needs of MRV. Our approach combines: (1) social research focusing on the enabling conditions for local participation in MRV; (2) governance analyses of existing MRV systems in forestry and health; and (3) remote sensing work comparing overlaps and gaps between satellite imagery and local assessments of forest changes. We considered in our approach the possible multiple benefits of PMRV (carbon mitigation, biodiversity conservation, livelihood security). Our study helped to identify the multiple stakeholders (communities, NGOs and governments) and what the levels of governance should be to make PMRV design and implementation feasible and sustainable.

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright

Within the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) framework, the involvement of local communities in national forest monitoring activities has the potential to enhance monitoring efficiency at lower costs while simultaneously promoting transparency and better forest management. We assessed the consistency of forest monitoring data (mostly activity data related to forest change) collected by local experts in the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia. Professional ground measurements and high resolution satellite images were used as validation data to assess over 700 forest change observations collected by the local experts. Furthermore, we examined the complementary use of local datasets and remote sensing by assessing spatial, temporal and thematic data quality factors. Based on this complementarity, we propose a framework to integrate local expert monitoring data with satellite-based monitoring data into a National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS) in support of REDD+ Measuring, Reporting and Verifying (MRV) and near real-time forest change monitoring.

The participation of local people in climate change mitigation is considered key to ensuring that their priorities are taken into account. This should help to design effective social safeguards and to improve equity in benefit sharing. The participation of local people has been explored in carbon emission Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) for REDD+. The feasibility and sustainability of participatory MRV (PMRV) are not automatic and depend on its relevance to local people (including incentives to participate), their technical capacity and the existence of appropriate structures for MRV.