Policy in the Peaks: Cybercartography and Traditional Ecological Practices to Diversify Pasture Policy-Making in Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan's pasture management policies have been challenged by the limited capacity of its nascent, village-level committees and pasture user groups. The collapse of supporting Soviet-era institutions that collected up-to-date information means policies have little connection with actual practice on the ground. As a result, rural Kyrgyz livelihoods have stagnated in Naryn province.A cybercartographic approach with user-generated data is implemented to visualize traditional practices on an online atlas. Both the produced atlas and the process of making the atlas are examined for their impact on pasture stakeholders' roles in pasture management.Spatial and interview results show spatially different representations of pastures by various groups and a dialogue-building effect of visualizing practices on an atlas. Demonstrating spatial and thematic linkages between groups offers new partnerships and deeper possible engagement of pasture users in managing pastures. These results are discussed in the context of informing a future pasture governance tool.