FoxHershockMappingCommunities

many schools, resulting in the closure of the school serving
these two villages. Children must now go to another school
that requires a walk of one to two hours each way. There
was a road connecting these two villages to the main road
running to Luchun County Seat before 1998, but it was cut
off because of floods. They have tried two times to construct
new roads, but all were destroyed again. There has thus
been no connection to the main road from the villages.
Villagers must carry their own products to and from the
market by themselves or with animal power. It takes about
one hour to climb down to Shang Shapu Village, and two
hours to climb down to Xia Shapu Village; however it takes
twice as long when climbing up since the paths are very
steep and curved. Villagers also need more time when they
carry something.
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
The evaluation group conducted two field studies during
September 2003 (six days) and November 2003 (eight days).
The first field trip focused on evaluating the mapping
processes taken by the MIGIS group. We organized two
group meetings and interviewed about ten key informants
from each village. The second field trip evaluated the
impacts of the MIGIS initiative. We organized three group
meetings and interviewed the same villagers we interviewed
during the first trip. The evaluation employed different
methods, in particular semi-structured group meetings and
key informants' interviewing.
Secondary data gathering and analysis
The evaluation group visited different organizations based in
Kunming that have used PRA for indicator formulation and
data collection for many SIT mapping activities. These
included the Center for Biodiversity and Indigenous
Knowledge (CBIK), the Yunnan Institute of Geography,
Southwest Forestry College, the ICRAF Kunming Office, and
the Great Nature Conservancy (TNC). We collected
information on major activities regarding SIT mapping for
each organization and discussed procedures taken by each
working group, gaining much from the discussions. We also
consulted with these organizations about our evaluation. We
also gathered many relevant documents and papers from
these organizations.
The evaluation group spent almost two days learning from
the MIGIS that group members, especially Dr. Cai Kui and
Dr. Ma Huangcheng. We discussed the objectives and
methodologies as well as the major findings for and from
this initiative. We also collected their maps and listened to
their interesting stories from the mapping period.
The evaluation group then spent almost one week reviewing
these documents and papers. This was a learning process for
the evaluation group helped us in several ways: (1) let us
understand better both the advantages and disadvantages of
linking PRA with conventional GIS technology and involving
local communities in the mapping processes actively; (2)
helped us prepare more appropriate and relevant questions
for the field studies; and (3) allowed us to enlarge some of
the maps made by the MIGIS group which were very helpful
in discussing and sharing information with villagers.
Map reading and information verification
The evaluation group enlarged twenty-two maps and charts
that were made by the MIGIS group in 1999, including
community maps, resource maps, venn diagrams, a land-use
map for 1990, a land-use map for 1999, a historic transect
map, food grain shortage charts, and seasonal calendar
charts for farming, animal husbandry, and household
economic security.
The group showed these maps and charts either at the
beginning or during the process of group meetings or
individual interviews and asked villagers to provide what
information they could, for instance, the location of their
own homestead or where the well is located. The results
indicate that, for the simple maps and charts such as
community maps and food grain shortage charts, villagers
who participated in the mapping process could very easily
read and interpret the major information on the maps.
Villagers who did not participate in the mapping process
might also be able to read and interpret the maps with help
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