Abstract
Natural forest management and conservation projects such as reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancing forest carbon stocks (REDD+) face many challenges in the field. Implementation of these projects depends on such factors as clarity of information among stakeholders, legal security of territories, and local decision-making power. These challenges have been previously identified in the Upper Bayano watershed of eastern Panama, where a long history of land cover and land-use conflicts is present between three different human groups. With a long-term objective of natural forest conservation, this study aims to develop and test participatory approaches (participatory mapping and participatory 3D modelling) for the Upper Bayano watershed in an attempt to create a consensus among all stakeholders on current land cover and land-use conflicts to overcome challenges faced by projects as REDD+. We found that the third dimension allows a common understanding over the landscape, creates a common ground discussion, and leads towards a consensus, while the participatory approach brings discussion and positive effects among the stakeholders and the bridging institutions bring equity and transparency. Finally, we discuss implications of this knowledge generation and common agreement over the landscape for future forest management projects such as REDD+’s implementation.
Highlights
During the last decade (2004–2013), atmospheric CO2 emissions from fossil fuel and cement production represented 91% of the total, whereas emissions from land-use change represented 9% (Le Quéré et al 2015), most of which is attributable to deforestation in the tropics (Houghton et al 2012)
Successful REDD+ initiatives would mitigate global CO2 emissions caused by land-use changes and would enhance the important carbon sink that represents tropical forests (Foody et al 1996)
This study is part of a long-term action research program of the Neotropical Ecology Laboratory at McGill University and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute focusing on REDD+ implementation in the Upper Bayano watershed in eastern Panama (Fig. 1) (St-Laurent et al 2013; Holmes and Potvin 2014; Vergara-Asenjo and Potvin 2014)
Summary
During the last decade (2004–2013), atmospheric CO2 emissions from fossil fuel and cement production represented 91% of the total, whereas emissions from land-use change represented 9% (Le Quéré et al 2015), most of which is attributable to deforestation in the tropics (Houghton et al 2012). In anthropogenic CO2 emissions and global climate change as an urgent treat to human societies and agreed to joint efforts over CO2 emission mitigation (United Nations 2015). As part of this international effort to limit global warming, reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancing forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) initiative is an attempt to provide large-scale payments for developing countries to reduce emissions and increase forest carbon stock (Angelsen et al 2009). The Upper Bayano watershed is still largely forested; the long-term protection of its forests would contribute to both REDD+ and water conservation
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