LaForeT Governance assessments : Geospatial governance data of the LaForeT project

Governance has been assessed and mapped together with property rights in more than 70 community workshops in the LaForeT landscapes in 2017-2019. Participatory mapping was used to produce maps at the landscape level from the perspective of individuals. Mapping was carried out in workshops assembling representatives from the research landscapes. Polygons were delineated in focus group discussions on print outs of satellite images of approximately 80*120 cm. All mapped information was digitized by project staff after the workshops. Polygons of single governance arrangements have been delineated; governance arrangements were defined as spatial units with a homogeneous constellation of governance components. Subsequently governance quality as well as property rights were scored in focus group discussions for selected polygons by the participants. Governance assessments based on the World Ressource Institute's method "Assessing Forest Governance: The Governance of Forests Initiative Indicator Framework“ (Davis et al 2013). Mean governance quality is calculated per polygon as the arithmetic mean of single governance elements including participation, law enforcement, institutions, forest management practices and tenure. Property rights based on Ostrom (1999). Mean property rights as arithmetic mean per polygon of single rights including access, use rights, administration, alienation and exclusion. For project information see www.la-foret.org. 

Different methdological components were combined to obtain the data set, including participatory mapping, focus group discussions, governance assessments following the methodology of the World Resource Institute (Davis et al. 2013). For each component field methodologies were designed as a basis to train field teams in all three countries. Training of the field teams, pilot surveys, intercalibration exercises and participation of the teamleaders and country coordinators helped to harmonize assessments accross landscapes and countries. Single governance elements such as institutions, law enforcement, participation, forest management and tenure were each assessed by three elements of quality, i.e. specified by operational indicators. Data was digitized by field teams in a time near manner to enable checks in the field in unclear cases.

Polygons and delineations in the data are the product of research activities that capture the perceptions of different user groups. They do not reflect or claim to define political borders.