TNC’s Development by Design (DbD) framework considers community values—including biodiversity, cultural, and socio-economic values—in the impact assessment process for development proposals. DbD provides a holistic view of how future development could affect these values and offers solutions for informed decision making. DbD uses a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping tool to assess and demonstrate likely impacts on these community-defined values. DbD supports the concept of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent and gives groups the opportunity to participate fully in the development decision making process. This manual was written based on experiences mapping cultural values in Australia, but can be applied elsewhere.
The process to strengthen connection to knowledge and place must be underpinned by respectful engagement, local stories, and evidence. When partnering with Indigenous Peoples, we must respect information about people, their knowledge, and their territories. Those working in this space seeking to publish information or data should follow appropriate protocols in establishing Free, Prior, and Informed Consent before publishing about Indigenous Peoples or their places. Out of respect for Indigenous and local community intellectual property rights and data sovereignty, TNC has developed a data and information sharing agreement template that can be tailored to context.
This template is also available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Indonesian.
The Supporting Emerging Aboriginal Stewards (SEAS) Toolkit was developed by Nature United179 in collaboration with community partners to help support and strengthen land and water-based education programs for Indigenous youth. It was created to provide ideas, suggestions, and guidance to anyone working on developing and delivering these kinds of programs. This toolkit is for anyone who is interested in starting or strengthening a land and water-based education program for Indigenous youth. The toolkit is organized into six chapters, each of which answers important questions about how to design, implement, and strengthen such a program over time.
More information can be obtained by visiting the SEAS website.