Toolkit

The document outlines a three-stage process for creating biocultural community protocols: deciding on the appropriateness of a protocol, mapping the community's foundations (identity, natural, social-cultural, economic, political, and legal), and consolidating this information into a strategic tool for external engagement. It emphasizes that protocols are context-dependent and should be community-led, avoiding external coercion. The guide provides specific tools and questions to document traditional knowledge, customary laws, and biodiversity, while cautioning facilitators to safeguard sensitive information. It concludes that while individual protocols offer self-affirmation and local change, their collective aggregation can drive broader structural and legal shifts.

• A biocultural community protocol is not universally applicable and its utility depends on specific local contexts, such as whether a community has a close connection to a territory, aspires to decision-making power over its management, or faces negative impacts from external actors.
• The process of 'mapping foundations' involves documenting six key areas: identity, natural resources, social-cultural aspects, economic livelihoods, political/institutional systems, and legal frameworks, using participatory tools like community biodiversity registers and sketch maps.
• Facilitators must manage the documentation of sensitive information—such as the location of cultural sites or specific traditional knowledge—with caution, as documented data may be accessed for unintended purposes.
• Biocultural protocols differ from standard management plans by explicitly focusing on the assertion of rights and responsibilities and defining the specific terms and conditions under which external actors must engage with the community.
• The consolidation of a protocol requires balancing community integrity with the need for external actors to understand and respect the message, which may involve choosing between written documents for legal certainty or culturally appropriate formats like art or music.
• While a single protocol can achieve localized change, the ability to influence structural political or legal change often depends on the aggregation of multiple protocols addressing similar issues to create a collective voice for social movements.

APA

Natural Justice (n.d.). Toolkit. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-II.pdf

Chicago

Natural Justice. Toolkit. n.d. https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-II.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Natural Justice |title=Toolkit |url=https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-II.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{naturaljusticendtoolkit, author = {{Natural Justice}}, title = {{Toolkit}}, institution = {Natural Justice}, url = {https://naturaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/BCP-Toolkit-Part-II.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }