Lesson 1
Impact
Participatory mapping is not only a method for gathering spatial data or visualising local knowledge, it also builds relationships and awareness. It can generate significant impacts across social, cultural, and institutional domains, particularly when it involves groups whose experiences and visions are often excluded from formal planning systems.
Personal and Collective Empowerment
- Confidence and capacity-building: Through the process of mapping, participants may build confidence in articulating their knowledge, ideas, and visions for change. The women involved in the PLANET4B Graz case study, for example, became not only more engaged in their local policy context but also equipped to act within it.
- Agency and alliances: Mapping can shift how people see themselves, from isolated residents to active stewards of place. Creating a plan offers a sense of collective ownership and a platform for claim-making.
Strengthening Community Networks
- Fostering solidarity and embedding knowledge exchange: Participatory mapping often brings people together who do not usually collaborate; it can strengthen intergenerational, intercultural, or cross-neighbourhood ties. Local knowledge becomes visible and valued, including knowledge of soil, planting, safety, culture, history, and accessibility.
Influencing Local Policy and Practice
- Creating a legitimate alternative and enabling engagement: A coherent plan or vision can serve as a credible counter-proposal in planning discussions, offering an alternative to top-down or extractive development. Through the project, participants may become more familiar with the processes, departments, and actors involved in urban governance, enabling them to navigate these spaces more effectively. Mapping can reveal spaces such as undervalued green areas, along with other overlooked uses of space, to decision-makers, increasing the likelihood of institutional support. It can also highlight areas of existing or potential biodiversity, reinforcing arguments for the protection, restoration, or creation of ecologically rich green spaces.
Enabling Place-Based Transformation
- Physical transformation of space: In the PLANET4B Graz case study, participatory mapping led to the transformation of a green space into an urban food growing garden; this was enabled by the supportive institutional environment. Participatory mapping has the potential to result in longer-term stewardship, as when people are involved in the visioning and planning they are more likely to care for and sustain the space over time.
Shifting Power Relations
- Claiming the right to the city: Participatory mapping can be a tool of counter-power, enabling marginalised groups to assert their rights and desires in the face of exclusionary planning, gentrification, or environmental degradation. Reclaiming, reimagining, or reconfiguring space can become a form of spatial justice, particularly when led by women, migrants, or others marginalised by the dominant planning processes.
Broader Methodological and Political Insights
- Linkages to other mapping approaches: Depending on the aim, participatory mapping can be combined with other spatial tools such as sensory mapping, counter-mapping, asset mapping, or story maps, see Unit 1 Lesson 2 for more information on these methods. These enable different forms of knowledge to be surfaced and different publics to be engaged.
In this video Sandra Karner explains some of the potential impacts of Community Mapping:
.svg)
Lesson 2
Challenges and Adaptations
Participatory mapping can be a powerful tool for community engagement, but it also brings a number of challenges that can require thoughtful adaptation:
- Uneven Participation
Not everyone feels confident contributing to mapping activities, particularly where literacy, language, or digital access barriers exist. Adapt by offering multiple ways to engage, such as storytelling, drawing, or using photos alongside maps. - Power Dynamics
Maps can unintentionally reinforce existing hierarchies. Be aware of who is speaking, who is listening, and whose knowledge is being prioritised. Facilitate in ways that support equitable participation, such as through small groups, rotating roles, or having co-facilitators who reflect the community. - Time Constraints
Participants may have limited time due to work, care responsibilities, or other commitments. Adapt by offering flexible session times, childcare support, or shorter activities that can be built on over time. - Sensitive Topics
Discussions may surface difficult emotions or conflict, especially when mapping contested spaces or exclusion. Prepare by setting clear group agreements, offering emotional support, and providing quiet spaces for reflection. - Sustaining Momentum
Interest can drop off if there is no clear follow-up. Be transparent about what will happen next, and build in ‘small wins’ or visible outcomes in following on from the initial mapping exercise. Where possible, plan for post-project support and capacity building. - Access to Materials and Space
Logistical challenges, such as lack of a suitable venue or materials, can exclude some participants. Adapt by using familiar and accessible spaces and keeping tools low-tech and inclusive.
Ways to Measure Impact:
For more detailed guidance on measuring change, see the Impact module. Three techniques that may work well include:
- Pre- and post-participation reflective interviews or questionnaires to capture changes in participants’ understanding of the mapped space, its biodiversity value, and its social uses.
- Facilitator fieldnotes and observations documenting group dynamics, participation levels, and emerging ideas for action or advocacy.
- Stakeholder interviews with relevant actors such as local authorities, NGOs, or planners to explore how the mapping outcomes have informed or influenced decision-making.
Lesson 3
Reflection and Next Steps
Key Learnings from the Process
As the participatory mapping project comes to a close, it is important to reflect together on what the process has involved. Questions to guide this might include:
- What aspects of the process worked well, and why?
- What challenges arose, and how were they addressed?
- What would participants change in future mapping projects?
- What does success look like, and who gets to define it?
These reflections help build shared learning, support future participatory projects, and strengthen critical awareness of how space, power, and representation are negotiated through mapping.
Encouraging Ongoing Engagement
Community mapping should not be seen as a one-off activity. Facilitators can support continued engagement by:
- Creating opportunities for participants to keep using mapping as a tool for dialogue, organising, or planning
- Supporting access to printed materials, digital maps, or platforms where participants can continue developing and sharing their ideas
- Following up with participants to explore what has happened since the mapping and what possibilities remain for action, collaboration, or advocacy
