Climate change has emerged as a global crisis with severe consequences for tropical and coastal regions. Pekalongan Regency, Indonesia, exemplifies these challenges, facing recurrent floods and landslides that threaten livelihoods and infrastructure. Risk mapping is urgently needed to guide adaptation strategies, yet many regions face constraints due to limited data availability. This study develops a multi-hazard risk mapping approach that integrates Geographic Information System (GIS) technology with stakeholder participation through Public Participation GIS (PPGIS). Hazard and vulnerability analyses were conducted using disaster records, socio-economic indicators, and spatial datasets, validated through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with government agencies and local stakeholders. The findings were synthesized into a structured four-stage framework encompassing stakeholder education (Kick-off), preliminary spatial analysis, participatory indicator validation, and finalization of risk maps. Results reveal distinct spatial patterns: flood risks dominate northern coastal and riverine villages, while landslide hazards are concentrated in the southern highlands. Stakeholder involvement not only improved data validity but also enhanced local adaptive capacity. The proposed PPGIS framework provides a transferable model for participatory climate resilience planning, particularly in data-scarce regions such as the global south area.

ABSTRACT This study examines socio-ecological crises through analysis of three institutional frameworks proposed as transformation responses: eco-socialist resource control, participatory governance, and sustainable innovation. Grounded in metabolic rift theory, the study demonstrates that capitalist production systems structurally disrupt material exchange between human societies and natural ecosystems. This generates both ecological degradation and social inequality as interconnected consequences of capitalism's requirement for profit-driven accumulation. Analysis of empirical implementations across diverse contexts, including Bolivia's lithium nationalization, Porto Alegre's participatory budgeting, the Netherlands’ circular economy transition, and Cameroon's participatory geographic information systems, reveals that each framework achieves genuine outcomes within its institutional domain yet encounters structural constraints when operating independently. State ownership redirects resource flows but cannot transform underlying accumulation imperatives. Participatory governance enables authentic democratic decision-making yet operates within externally determined constraints. Sustainable innovation produces measurable ecological improvements yet optimizes existing systems rather than transforming them fundamentally. The study proposes the Socio-Ecological Transformation Framework, integrating three mutually reinforcing institutional dimensions: collective ownership, participatory governance, and regenerative innovation. Each dimension compensates for the others’ structural limitations, with transformation requiring simultaneity across all three. Contextual conditions enabling integration, inherent tensions requiring management, and measurement frameworks for assessing outcomes are identified.

Kenya’s 2010 constitution introduced devolution as a transformative governance framework intended to enhance equity, public participation, territorial inclusion and grassroots engagement and visibility. Spatial and economic planning were positioned as key instruments for managing development, addressing historical inequalities, and fostering social cohesion across diverse cultural and ecological landscapes. Yet, despite a progressively articulated legal and policy architecture, spatial planning in Kenya continues to expose a persistent gap between constitutional aspirations and lived realities. Territorial planning remains largely technocratic, sectoral, and administratively constrained, with limited engagement with Indigenous and local knowledge systems, cultural identity, and socio-ecological interdependencies that transcend county boundaries. This paradox raises critical questions about the capacity of Kenya’s devolved planning system to support social cohesion in a culturally heterogeneous, socio-economically diverse and ecologically interconnected nation. This paper explores how cultural identity can be recentred within Kenya’s territorial planning frameworks to strengthen social cohesion and enable context-responsive development. It contends that contemporary spatial planning approaches marginalise the socio-cultural dimensions of territory, treating identity as peripheral rather than foundational to spatial governance. Existing planning scholarship in Kenya largely focuses on development control, urbanisation, service delivery, and institutional reform, while offering limited empirical insight into how planning decisions shape inter-community relations, place identity, and socio-ecological resilience. Research on ecological systems such as watersheds, rangelands, and pastoral corridors remains largely sectoral, obscuring how devolved governance structures fragment landscapes historically managed through shared cultural and ecological logics. Conceptually, the paper draws on territorial planning, participatory governance, spatial justice, cultural landscape and decolonial planning, to illustrate how post-colonial planning systems often reproduce Eurocentric spatial logics that marginalise Indigenous territorialities and relational understandings of land. In Kenya, these dynamics are reinforced by devolution, which has intensified administrative fragmentation, competitive territoriality, and misalignment between governance boundaries and socio-ecological systems. The paper therefore frames territorial planning not as a purely technical coordination exercise, but as a socio-political process through which identity, power, and belonging are negotiated. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive approach, drawing on comparative case studies across sixteen Kenyan counties with ratified County Spatial Plans. Data was generated through semi-structured interviews with planners, economists, environmental officers, policymakers, and community leaders, complemented by focus group discussions and participant observation in planning forums. These were supported by systematic analysis of County Spatial Plans, County Integrated Development Plans, sectoral strategies, and relevant national policy and legal instruments to examine institutional practices and implementation dynamics. The findings reveal four interrelated patterns. Firstly, cultural identity and Indigenous and local knowledge systems are weakly integrated into county planning frameworks. Whereas cultural landscapes and heritage are often acknowledged rhetorically, they are seldom operationalised as organising principles for territorial governance. Secondly, devolution has inadvertently reinforced administrative silos, with counties planning infrastructure, urban expansion, and resource use largely within their jurisdictions, destabilising shared river basins, biodiversity corridors, pastoral mobility routes, and cultural landscapes. This has undermined long-standing interdependencies that historically supported ecological resilience and social cohesion. Thirdly, institutional gaps within Kenya’s devolved planning architecture exacerbate fragmentation. The sidelining of Regional Development Authorities; originally conceived as basin-based institutions for coordinating development across major river systems and transboundary ecosystems; has weakened planning at ecologically meaningful scales. Post-2010 reforms and the omission of these authorities from key planning legislation have left them institutionally ambiguous, with jurisdictional tensions, chronic underfunding, and limited political support constraining their effectiveness. Finally, participatory innovations such as participatory GIS and community-led mapping initiatives demonstrate potential for amplifying marginalised voices. Yet, their impact remains limited in the absence of enabling policy frameworks, institutional capacity, and recognition of decentralised knowledge systems. Building on these findings, the paper advances a conceptual contribution that positions cultural identity as critical infrastructure for social cohesion within territorial planning. It proposes an inclusive planning framework grounded in participatory governance, adaptive hybridity, and equitable resource distribution. Hybrid approaches that integrate Indigenous and local knowledge systems with formal planning tools; such as GIS, ecosystem-based management, and circular economy principles; offer pathways for reconciling ecological sustainability with cultural continuity. Realising this potential, however, requires institutional reforms capable of recognising, resourcing, and legitimising Indigenous custodianship and context-specific governance practices. The paper concludes that addressing Kenya’s territorial planning challenges demands more than procedural participation or technical coordination. It requires reorienting planning practice toward humanising urban–rural linkages, validating cultural diversity, and enabling planning at scales aligned with socio-ecological systems rather than administrative convenience. By foregrounding the centrality of cultural identity and territorial development to social cohesion, this study contributes to broader debates on decolonial planning, spatial justice, and governance in the Global South, offering insights relevant to other devolved and post-colonial contexts grappling with the tensions between institutional reform and lived territorial realities.

This paper explores the ethical entanglements and tensions that arise when using a decolonial feminist approach to digital participatory action research (DPAR) within the context of bicycling, mobilit(ies), and gender justice in rural Nicaragua. Grounded in a reflexive feminist ethics of care and relational mobilities, I reflect on a collaborative DPAR project with co-researchers that aimed to address the intertwined issues of mobility justice, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and climate change. Through digital methods – such as photovoice and participatory GIS mapping using GoPro cameras – co-researchers mapped specific community spaces marked by SGBV and environmental precarity, revealing the layered dynamics of gendered, racialized and ecological injustice that shaped their everyday mobilities. Drawing on these experiences, I offer critical reflections on the possibilities and tensions of decolonial feminist DPAR, including (1) the necessity of a feminist reflexive ethics of care; and (2) the ethical entanglements involved in using technological interventions that may inadvertently reproduce structural inequalities. While digital technologies may pry open opportunities for collective storytelling and community advocacy, I contend that their use must be guided by ongoing ethical considerations to ensure that relational mobilities and accountabilities – and the voices of co-researchers in DPAR projects – remain central.

Assessing spatial differences of perceptions of cultural ecosystem services for coastal cultural landscape management: A case study from rural and urban areas in Quanzhou, China.

ABSTRACT The integration of citizen science, volunteered geographic information (VGI), and Web/mobile geographic information systems (GIS) has demonstrated significant potential in enhancing disaster response efforts. However, delivering timely, comprehensive and trustworthy information remains a major challenge, particularly when relying on passive data collection from social media. While researchers have developed specialized platforms for natural hazards and advanced models for data analysis, few studies present a holistic lifecycle from stakeholder-oriented design through development, especially with attention to the design phase. To address this gap, this paper introduces an agile and iterative user-centered framework for designing and developing a participatory mobile GIS application for collecting reliable, first-hand observations. A pilot study conducted during real-world hurricane events demonstrated the application’s ability to operate both in real time and offline, enabling the collection of precise geotagged data, categorized labels, and diverse media formats. The results highlight the potential of this active, stakeholder-centered approach to support intelligent disaster response strategies and complement passive and authoritative data sources. This paper advances the integration of citizen science and mobile GIS by providing a framework that follows user-centered design principles to inform future disaster response applications.

This paper provides a systematic review of participatory landscape planning in urban fringe areas, focusing on community co-design and institutional governance frameworks. Urban fringes are regions where urban expansion intersects with rural and agricultural systems. These areas present complex challenges due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders and the complexity of ecological networks. The review evaluates the effectiveness and applicability of methods such as participatory rural appraisal (PRA), participatory geographic information systems (GIS), landscape design workshops, and participatory scenario modeling. These methods promote community participation and generate planning outcomes related to local environments and sustainability. The review reveals a surge in global interest in participatory planning practices since 2010, particularly in Europe, East Asia, and Latin America. Additionally, the findings indicate that forms of participatory governance, such as collaborative and co-governance models, are crucial for success in these dynamic landscapes. The study underscores the importance of integrating local knowledge and institutional prerequisites into future urban fringe area planning. This review deepens our understanding of the role of community co-design in landscape planning and offers insights for strengthening more inclusive, adaptive, and resilient governance in urban fringe regions.

Abstract Flash floods are characterized by their destructive power, rapid onset, and unpredictability, often causing severe damage to both natural environments and socioeconomic systems. Understanding the detailed disaster-causing mechanisms of flash floods is critical for effective disaster risk reduction. However, current studies have not captured the comprehensive circumstance of flash floods that integrates environment, hazard, and exposure from the perspective of disaster systems theory. To address the gap, this study established a systematic framework for comprehensively evaluating flash floods disaster-causing mechanisms in ungauged mountainous micro-watersheds by integrating multi-source data, including remote sensing observations, meteorological station data, unmanned aerial vehicle measurements, and participatory geographic information system data, with hydrological-hydrodynamic and statistical models. The proposed framework consists of four interconnected steps: design storm estimation, flash flood process simulation, critical rainfall calculation, and disaster loss evaluation. Through a case study conducted in Qialegeer Village, Xinjiang, China, we demonstrated the framework’s applicability by reconstructing flash flood scenarios, including the 2017 event as well as those of 10 and 20 years return periods. The results demonstrate that our framework robustly and systematically elucidates flash flood disaster process in the region with high reliability. Furthermore, it is adaptable to other ungauged mountainous micro-watersheds. This framework ultimately serves to enhance disaster risk mitigation and build resilience in vulnerable mountainous communities.

Community conflicts in tourism destinations often stems from a complex interplay of multi scale factors that includes geographical conditions, socioeconomic dynamics, and management of resources. This study adopted a hybrid approach to investigate the spatial distribution of community conflicts in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 358 residents, and conflict points were marked using a participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS), including semi-structured interviews with 32 residents. The analysis reveals six primary conflict categories, with inequitable benefit distribution and conservation-development disputes emerging as the most predominant issues. Significant spatial dynamics are observed, particularly in resident-manager (47.81%) and resident-operator (25.71%) conflicts. This research contributes to conflict theory by elucidating the spatial dimensions of community disputes in ecotourism contexts, highlighting the interplay between local stakeholder dynamics and resource management. The findings advocate for integrated conflict management strategies that engage local communities, promoting equitable tourism practices and sustainable governance in national parks.

Indonesia has a high risk of geological disasters because its location is on the arc of plate movement. One of the main threats comes from Mount Merapi, an active volcano that often erupts, significantly impacting the surrounding community. This study uses the Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) approach to assess the community’s hazard, vulnerability and capacity on the slopes of Mount Merapi, Magelang. This locale-based mapping integrates three main variables to provide a more comprehensive risk picture. The results show that 80% of households are in the high to very high hazard category, with the main threat types being volcanic ash and hot clouds. Household vulnerability varied, with 44.4% in the low category and 16% in the high category, indicating the presence of a significant population that was particularly vulnerable. On the other hand, the capacity of the community is still unevenly distributed, with almost half of the population having a very low capacity. Local Spatial Knowledge (LSK) is essential in reducing disaster risk, including public understanding of natural signs, safe evacuation routes and tradition-based mitigation strategies.ContributionThe integration of LSK with Geographic Information System (GIS) technology strengthens the effectiveness of risk assessment, allowing for more accurate mapping and targeted intervention strategies. Public awareness of risks has grown significantly because of greater access to information enabled by digital technology, although local values still need to be preserved.

Geospatial analysis, driven by the evolution of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies, plays an increasingly pivotal role in urban planning. This study examines the historical, technological, and methodological foundations of geospatial analysis and its growing significance in shaping contemporary urban environments. Beginning with a historical overview of urban planning, the paper discusses the transition from classical design to data-driven planning. It examines the expanding typologies of geospatial data, including vector and raster models, volunteered geographic information, and participatory platforms that have transformed how spatial knowledge is produced and applied. The integration of spatial analysis methods, including spatial clustering and autocorrelation techniques, enhances the ability of planners to assess urban growth, traffic safety, land use, and environmental impact with greater precision. Remote sensing advancements, alongside machine learning techniques, further support urban land use monitoring. Despite the promise, challenges such as data accessibility, quality verification, equitable usage, and effective knowledge visualization persist. This paper argues that while the tools of geospatial analysis are powerful, achieving sustainable, inclusive urban futures will depend on resolving issues of cost, accessibility, and interpretability for diverse stakeholders. Keywords: Geospatial Analysis, Urban Planning, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Spatial Data, Urban Development, Participatory GIS

ABSTRACT This project develops a 3D model of the Ubirr rock art complex in Kakadu National Park to explore digital opportunities for cultural conservation and sustainable management. A key site within UNESCO-listed Kakadu National Park, Ubirr is a gallery of millennia-old paintings that embody both intangible and tangible cultural values of the local Traditional Owners. Using Participatory GIS, this research examines how digital landscape modelling can support a Cultural Heritage Conservation Management Plan for Ubirr while addressing tensions between Aboriginal ownership, National Parks management, tourism, and cultural heritage conservation. Initiated by Bininj Traditional Owners, the project records Indigenous cultural values through interviews, sketch mapping, and aerial and on-ground data collection, culminating in a 3D photogrammetry model. Unreal Engine 5 was used to build an interactive digital landscape of the Nadab Floodplain, providing visual and audio context to align the photogrammetry model with Bininj relational ontologies. This research demonstrates how Cultural Values Mapping, GIS, and 3D modelling amplify Traditional Owner voices in management while ensuring that research aligns with cultural protocols. This methodology provides a blueprint for Indigenous communities, cartographers, and heritage practitioners to engage with mapping and modelling in culturally safe ways that protect Indigenous cultural heritage.

ABSTRACT The educational benefits of Participatory GIS (PGIS) in geographic higher education have received limited direct attention, often because of the complexities of integrating PGIS into university curricula. While a few exceptions found important educational benefits of PGIS, extant studies focused primarily on the educational benefits for students who worked in the research teams, instead of participants who contributed their local knowledge and perspectives to mapping. Our research aims to understand the educational benefits of PGIS for participants in a campus accessibility mapping project using the modes of experiential learning, positionality, and service learning. Through this, we also provide strategies for effectively integrating PGIS projects into undergraduate geographical curricular education. Through independent participation in two spatial surveys (a mapping survey and a questionnaire on campus accessibility) via Survey123, group participation in a guided workshop, and the follow-up focus groups/interviews, we identify the educational benefits of PGIS for participants: (1) building knowledge/skills about accessible technological features of PGIS; (2) building content knowledge about accessibility; (3) transforming pre-constructed knowledge by learning from one another; (4) building awareness of positionality as disabled and non-disabled individuals; (5) building awareness of positionality as a community; and (6) enabling localized and place-based insights and empowerment.

With a focus on Opobo/Nkoro communities, this study examines the adaptation tactics used by coastal communities in Nigeria's Niger Delta Region in response to sea level rise. Nigeria's low-lying coastal areas are increasingly at risk from sea level rise, but little is known about how the local population will adjust. Assessing shoreline changes over time and evaluating community-level responses to the continuous effects of coastal erosion and inundation were the objectives of the study. Using a combination of physical, socioeconomic, and participatory GIS data, a qualitative research methodology was chosen. Shoreline evolution over both short-term (2015–2020) and long-term (1984–2020) periods was evaluated using remotely sensed imagery. With a total average linear regression rate (LRR) of -2.7 ± 0.18 m/year from 1984 to 2020 and -3.94 ± 1.28 m/year between 2015 and 2020, the shoreline change analysis's findings showed steady erosional trends. These results support the idea that sea level rise is to blame for the gradual coastal retreat. Furthermore, survey information was gathered from 384 randomly chosen household heads in various residential densities in order to investigate socioeconomic characteristics, awareness levels, and adaptation tactics. According to the analysis, residents took a variety of actions, such as moving away from high-risk areas, fixing or replacing damaged property, and urging the government and neighborhood organizations to build more drainage systems. According to the study, these adaptation techniques differed greatly depending on socioeconomic status and residential density. The results highlight how urgently localized, integrated climate change adaptation policies are needed. To improve the absorptive, adaptive, and transformative capacities of coastal households in the area, policymakers are advised to give priority to awareness campaigns and the execution of community-based adaptation measures.

This commentary extends shift ‘from infrastructure-led development to infrastructure-led urbanization’ by explicitly embedding a spatial justice lens. We define spatial justice in this context as the equitable distribution of infrastructural benefits and burdens, meaningful recognition of marginalized groups’ claims on urban space, and genuine participatory parity in decision-making. Drawing on feminist, environmental justice, postcolonial, and Indigenous scholarship, we show how major infrastructure projects often reproduce dispossession, displacement, and socio-ecological inequalities. Concrete contrasts – for example, co-designed transit schemes versus top-down megaproject evictions – illustrate how justice can be materially operationalized. Methodologically, we advocate corridor ethnographies, participatory GIS mapping, and algorithmic justice audits to document and redress infrastructural (in)justices. We conclude by calling for comparative, justice-sensitive research agendas and governance innovations – such as community benefit agreements and inclusive zoning – to ensure that global infrastructure corridors foster equity, inclusion, and collective care rather than marginalization.

Urban communities in the United States are increasingly threatened by the intersecting impacts of climate change, socio-economic disparities, and aging infrastructure, resulting in heightened risks from both natural and human-induced disasters, particularly for historically marginalized and underserved populations. This review critically examines the evolving role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis in enhancing urban resilience and improving disaster response. Drawing on current literature, case studies, and emerging applications, the paper explores how spatial technologies are utilized in key areas such as hazard mapping, risk assessment, social vulnerability analysis, evacuation planning, early warning systems, and post-disaster recovery. GIS facilitates the integration of spatial data, demographic information, and real-time analytics to help decision-makers identify high-risk areas, optimize resource allocation, and support timely and effective emergency responses. Case studies from cities like New Orleans, Miami, and wildfire-prone regions of California demonstrate how GIS-enabled interventions improve situational awareness and promote equitable, data-driven resilience strategies. However, significant challenges remain, including unequal access to GIS infrastructure, limited community participation, technological disparities, and ethical concerns surrounding data use. The review identifies promising opportunities through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), and participatory GIS to build more inclusive, adaptive, and equitable disaster management systems. The study concludes with policy recommendations calling for greater investment in GIS infrastructure, capacity-building at the local level, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the integration of community perspectives to ensure that spatial tools effectively protect and empower vulnerable U.S. communities in the face of escalating disaster risks.

Community-led conservation that integrates science and indigenous knowledge is vital for ensuring ecological sustainability and local stewardship in biodiversity protection. Wallacetrigona incisa, a stingless bee species endemic to Sulawesi, serves as a key pollinator in the mountain forests of North Luwu, Indonesia. However, its populations are increasingly threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and unsustainable harvesting methods, such as felling nest trees and discarding colonies after honey extraction. This study assessed the population status, identified key threats, and developed conservation strategies that integrate ecological science with traditional knowledge and active community participation. Methods included systematic field surveys, habitat suitability modeling using MaxEnt, satellite image analysis to detect changes in forest cover, and participatory approaches such as interviews and focus group discussions. Participatory GIS (PGIS) was used to involve communities in mapping and planning conservation priorities. The results show that destructive harvesting poses a severe threat to W. incisa, whereas sustainable practices support colony stability and enhance honey productivity. Economic dependence on honey harvesting is high, yet awareness of sustainable methods is limited. The indigenous mappurondo belief system, which protects sacred forest areas, offers a cultural foundation for community-based conservation. This study emphasizes the necessity of an integrated strategy that combines habitat protection, community capacity building, and the revitalization of traditional ecological knowledge. This study concludes that integrating scientific data, sustainable harvesting practices, and indigenous traditions can enhance colony survival and community livelihoods. The results underscore the potential of inclusive conservation policies that bridge ecological and socio-economic objectives, offering a replicable model for tropical biodiversity conservation that aligns with local well-being. Keywords: conservation, endemic bee, indigenous knowledge, sustainability, Wallacetrigona incisa

(1) Background: Analyses using participatory GIS (PGIS) data have primarily focused on reporting landscape values (e.g., subsistence, spiritual) or activities (e.g., hunting, meditation) and less frequently on identifying patterns of value and activity co-occurrence. This paper explores whether consistent combinations of landscape values and activities associated with meaningful places identified by visitors—referred to as “bundles”—emerge across protected areas. These bundles represent the cognitive-behavioral components of sense of place. (2) Methods: We used exploratory factor analysis on aggregated PGIS data collected between 2011 and 2017 to identify value-activity bundles across three protected areas administered by the Forest Service in the northwestern United States. (3) Results: We found no universal bundles of landscape values and activities across the protected areas, limiting the ability to describe consistent sense of place bundles. Instead, relationships between landscape values and activities varied across areas. Weak associations between them highlight heterogeneity in how individuals perceive and interact with meaningful places, reflecting the subjective and context-dependent nature of the sense of place. (4) Conclusions: These findings suggest that identifying visitor “types” for outreach and planning may be more nuanced than anticipated. To provide diverse opportunities for visitors to protected areas, planners and decision-makers may need to move beyond standard audience segmentation practices and consider the context-dependent nature of sense of place.

ABSTRACT Coastal areas are unique socio-ecological systems that are characterised by especially high provision of ecosystem services and sociocultural significance. This study investigates cultural ecosystem services (CES) provided by coastal areas in Latvia and Estonia, with a focus on their contribution to human well-being and factors that shape recreational preferences. By using a public participatory GIS (PPGIS) survey, data from 1381 recreational users were collected. The PPGIS data were utilized to map spatial patterns of CES use, assess the perceived suitability of various coastal ecosystem related factors for recreational activities, and link these activities to human well-being benefits. Results reveal that the diversity of coastal ecosystem shapes recreational uses, with Estonia’s highly indented and diverse coastline supporting a wider array of activities compared to Latvia’s predominantly sandy shores. Coastal CES provide diverse range of perceived well-being benefits, with both passive and active interactions with the coast contributing to mental and physical health, though the benefits vary across different CES. The study highlights the need to integrate participatory CES assessments into coastal planning to balance social and cultural values with other development interests, supporting holistic, evidence-based management strategies for Baltic Sea ecosystems and beyond.

Invasions of water hyacinth critically threaten aquatic ecosystems and human livelihoods. The study investigates the impact of water hyacinth proliferation on ecological and socio-economic conditions and management strategies in Kuttanad region, India. A mixed-methods approach, including surveys, Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) mapping, and stakeholder interviews, was employed to investigate the impact on the local communities. Results show that water hyacinths grow in many different backwaters, lakes, and canals and cause significant environmental damage, financial losses, and health issues for local communities. The Composite Vulnerability Index (CVI) of 3.56 (on a scale of 1–5) shows that the Pulinkunnu community is vulnerable to uncontrolled water hyacinth growth. The findings reveal significant environmental degradation, economic losses, especially income from fishing activities, and health risks associated with unchecked water hyacinth growth, highlighting the vulnerability of the affected communities. The study also identifies local knowledge and community engagement as critical components in developing sustainable management strategies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By proposing innovative solutions like biofertilizer production, the research emphasizes the need for integrated management practices that control the spread of water hyacinth and enhance community resilience and economic opportunities.