Developing a GIS program in rural Mexico: community participation equals success

Abstract

We discuss results of a participatory project in an indigenous community in central Mexico, where a GIS program was implemented. The implementation is described in three ways: By system design, by training of community members, and by development of spatial databases. A variety of factors contributed to the success of the program development, including hands-on training sessions focused on GIS techniques that would support the development and automation of the community's forest management plan. As a result, the forest plan was fully automated by trainees, and the community subsequently obtained green certification for sustainable forest management.