Welcome to the Monitoring Matters Network

The Monitoring Matters Network is an international network of researchers and practitioners working with innovative approaches to monitoring of natural resources, livelihoods and governance.

Monitoring is "the systematic measurement of variables and processes over time" and "assumes that there is a specific reason for that collection of data, such as ensuring that standards are being met" (Spellerberg 2005)

Research of the network focuses on:

Ecosystem goods and services How can community members monitor and detect local- and large-scale trends in natural resources and ecosystem services?

Natural resource management How can monitoring of natural resources encourage adaptive management and effective communication and collaboration between stakeholders?

Climate change How can innovative approaches to natural resource monitoring and management enhance the resilience of local communities to cope with climate variability and weather extremes? How can public involvement in monitoring strengthen carbon emission reduction and combat deforestation?

Governance and social benefits How can community members undertake their own monitoring of representation, accountability and transparency in natural resource governance? What are the options for employing existing participatory monitoring methods in measuring the de facto social benefits of natural resource management for local stakeholders?