Traditional Communities and Mental Maps: Dialogues between Local Knowledge and Cartography from the Socioenvironmental Atlas of Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil

Researchers have developed interactive cartographic materials that integrate traditional local knowledge with modern mapping techniques to document the movements, practices, and environmental dynamics of communities in Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil. This approach bridges indigenous mental maps—shaped by centuries of interaction with the region's diverse landscapes—and scientific cartography, offering a tool for sustainable resource management and community rights protection. The study combines sketches from residents and health agents with geospatial data to create digital representations that reflect both local livelihoods (agriculture, extraction, fishing) and ecological patterns, serving as a foundation for socioenvironmental planning.

Souza Filho, B., Pérez Machado, R. P., Murasugi, K., & Vieira Souza, U. D. (2021). Traditional Communities and Mental Maps: Dialogues between Local Knowledge and Cartography from the Socioenvironmental Atlas of Lençóis Maranhenses, Brazil. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 10(11), 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10110755