This tool was developed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) for assessing natural resource governance.

The guide provides one approach that can be used to identify the most important groups with rights to govern natural resources within a geographic area, to establish the factors deemed to be essential elements of good natural resource governance, and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each governance group. The guide describes an approach and a data collection tool that together constitute a simple, low-cost, expert opinion-based method for assessing natural resource governance groups.

The second version of the tool incorporates: a) improved understanding of the power to govern and the addition of diversity as a sub-attribute of authority, b) updated data collection and data management methods using KoboToolBox on tablet computers, and c) revision of the survey instrument to use Likert scale responses. Each of these changes were informed by extensive field experience of implementing the first version of the tool in Central Africa and other locations around the world.

Citation: Detoeuf, D., Wieland, M, Cowles, P. and Wilkie, D. 2020. The Natural Resource Governance Tool - Version 2. WCS Bronx, NY and USAID Washington, D.C. USA