Code of Conduct for working with Indigenous and Local Communities

Research related to tropical rainforests involves field-based data collection. Much of this information gathering takes place in territories occupied by indigenous and other forest-based communities. Members of these communities are often used as sources of information for a wide range of topics, including the local use of plants and animals, and conditions of soil, water and forests. This information is often referred to as indigenous or local knowledge.

[8]TBI has developed a Code of Conduct (CoC) to guide researchers in the careful consideration of ethical issues in their field work and publication activities regarding indigenous or local knowledge. This CoC provides a concise background on ethical issues related to forestry research and a practical tool to deal with these issues responsibly.

November, 2011. Gerard Persoon and Tessa Minter. Tropenbos International, Wageningen, the Netherlands. vi + 28 pages