From Elders' Knowledge to Co-Management Utilizing Participatory Action Research (PAR) and a Geographic Information System (GIS)

Canadian aboriginal groups have developed cultural and occupancy maps to support their land claims and planning interests since the 1970s. Geographic information systems (GISs) coupled with participatory action research (PAR) methods are now widely used in nascent co-management projects. The benefits and contributions of these methods and technologies are reviewed in this context. The function requirements of such a system are the human-machine interface, symbology, data and editing, geopositioning, query, format manipulation, map scales, and printer/plotter output, hardware considerations include cost, platforms, monitors, printers, data backup systems, and global positioning systems. Various software/hardware configurations are reviewed.