Smart Forests field schools were conducted in the village of Kunao Chaur, Uttarakhand, India, in two phases. The initial phase took place in December 2022, followed by the second phase in January 2023. These field schools were specifically designed to investigate the socio-political dynamics emerging from the use of
digital technologies
for
mapping
indigenous forest rights and
biodiversity
. These field schools were part of a larger Smart Forests case study project that aims to explore how the Van Gujjars, a traditional semi-nomadic and forest-dwelling community, interact with digital technologies traditionally used for
conservation
. This interaction includes recording their own knowledge, sense of place, and space, and engaging in counter-mapping activities.
During the first phase, Smart Forest researchers organized a
field school
to discuss the role of aerial
monitoring
technologies, such as
drones
, in mapping forest rights, monitoring biodiversity, and observing
land use
changes as perceived by the Van Gujjar community. Participants included male members of the Van Gujjar Tribal Yuva Sangathan, a collective that advocates for social issues, rights, and justice for the Van Gujjars. Male elders, referred to as ‘Lamberdars’ (heads of families), also participated in the discussions. Due to logistical and cultural constraints, women from the community were not involved in this phase. Research indicates that intersectional markers such as gender, class, caste, and disability are crucial variables through which digital technologies should be examined. To address this, a subsequent field school was conducted in February 2024, which included women participants.
During the morning session of the field school, Smart Forest researchers engaged in a participatory discussion and workshop on the correct usage of GPS devices for mapping forests and other biodiversity features relevant to the community. Pranav Menon, a collaborator from Smart Forests, presented the basics of global positioning systems, including how to correctly mark waypoints and transfer data onto a laptop. Community members then discussed important features that needed mapping, which would generate knowledge to support their forest rights claims. For instance, some members immediately identified certain parts of the forest that were previously plantations or grasslands (‘bhabars’) where they were historically permitted by the colonial state to graze their cattle. During the demonstrations, several immediate challenges were highlighted. Due to disputes over land and forest access rights between the state forest department and community members, concerns were raised about potential harassment by forest
rangers
if they were found with GPS devices in the forest. Despite the long history of exploitation and dispossession of forest-dwelling communities in India (Sigamani, 2015), community members have begun to resist and subvert state excesses. They expressed that, despite the practical difficulties of using these devices, it was still significant to possess the ability to create their own knowledge.