Community-based monitoring of river health and biodiversity
Author(s)
Type
Report
Abstract
This practical guide supports Indigenous peoples and local communities to monitor the health of their rivers and the biodiversity they support. It links traditional and local knowledge with simple, low-cost scientific methods for assessing river condition. The guide covers visual and sensory assessment of river health, monitoring of small river animals as indicators of water quality, affordable approaches to testing water chemistry and contamination (including nutrients, heavy metals and microbes), and participatory methods for tracking fish health and abundance using catch-per-unit-effort. It also provides questions and tools for documenting traditional and local knowledge, understanding governance of rivers, and interpreting changes over time. Designed for use by community monitors, Indigenous organisations and supporting practitioners, the guide aims to strengthen community-led stewardship, citizen science and rights-based river conservation.
Date Issued
2025
Citation
Community-based monitoring of river health and biodiversity.
Practical guide, 2025, pp.1-26
Practical guide, 2025, pp.1-26
Publisher
Forest Peoples Programme (FPP)
Start Page
1
End Page
26
Journal / Book Title
Community-based monitoring of river health and biodiversity.
Practical guide
Practical guide
Copyright Statement
© Copyright is retained by the Forest Peoples Programme. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).The publication is freely available online at www.forestpeoples.org. Copyright is retained by the Forest Peoples Programme.
License URL
Identifier
https://transformativepathways.net/community-based-monitoring-of-river-health-and-biodiversity/
Subjects
community-based monitoring
river health
freshwater biodiversity
Indigenous peoples and local communities
citizen science
water quality
traditional and local knowledge
Place of Publication
Moreton-in-Marsh, UK
Publication Status
Published