The monitoring of this part of the work would aim to see if residents have changed resource use in any way as a result of having been involved in the survey. Perceptions of local residents towards the park. To complement activities 1 and 2 described above that are already ongoing, we aim to monitor changes in the perceptions of local residents towards the park and the notion of environmental conservation, over the next year as jointly developed activities start. Although a subjective theme, these perceptions are of utmost importance for the long term success of the park. Our hypothesis is that if the park becomes viewed as a positive change, then residents will be more willing to change their resource use habits.
Many professionals make assumptions about the easy use by farmers of information systems.
Our key question however, challenges that. This may be because the processes in question are hidden, ie take place on a large or small spatial or temporal scale. To answer this question we wish to work with the resource users in Serra do Brigadeiro in using quantitative and qualitative indicators alike. Methodologies themselves are not enough - it is the process through which they are developed that can expand the understanding of resource users'. Hence our aim to develop this monitoring approach together with learning teams from the eight communities.