This document is intended for those interested in gathering natural resource information that reflects the needs of local communities. It describes a multidisciplinary survey developed with indigenous communities in the fores-rich landscapes of the Malinau watershed in East Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). The final methods reflect a mixture of judgements, compromises and reactions to trials over many months. It is intended that it is useful to readers from diverse backgrounds given the multidisciplinary nature of the procedures described. This is not intended as a manual.

The Grab Bag' is designed to complement 'the BAG' and for use by social scientists who may find 'the BAG' overly prescriptive. The eight methods presented are either more difficult for non-social scientists to use or, in a couple of cases, can substitute for one or more method presented in 'the BAG'. 'The Scoring and Analysis Guide' provides the user with help in making an actual assessment of the social C&I, based on the results of these methods.

This paper highlights the need in South Asia for basin-wide water allocation plans that include environmental requirements. This paper also describes the application of a basin planning model (i.e., Water Evaluation and Planning model or WEAP) to assess present and alternative water management options which incorporate environmental flows in the Upper Ganges River in India (total area: 87000 km2). The paper summarizes the environmental flow assessment methodology which was conducted through a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach (Building Blocks Methodology or BBM).

Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) is a decision-making tool developed for complex problems. In a situation where multiple criteria are involved confusion can arise if a logical, well-structured decision-making process is not followed. Another difficulty in decision-making is that reaching a general consensus in a multidisciplinary team can be very difficult to achieve. By using MCA members do not have to agree on the relative importance of the criteria or the rankings of the alternatives.

This manual provides methods for the development and evaluation of criteria and indicators (C&I) which can then be used to assess the sustainability of forest management. The manual is written primarily for researchers, people or groups interested in evaluating C&I for assessments of forests in new areas, or as a reference for readers wanting to know how CIFOR's Generic Template was produced. The methods presented are aimed at the development of sets of C&I for natural forest at the forest management unit level, especially in the tropics.

This is designed to supplement 'the BAG' and 'the Grab Bag'. It provides a scoring method that can be used with the two manuals, to come to a decision about particular criteria and indicators in particular forest and human settings. Following the section on scoring is a section on analysis. It begins very simply, leading the user through the steps of making a spreadsheet, and concluding with more complex statistical analyses that may be desirable in some circumstances. Different teams have different requirements for quantitative and statistical sophistication in their analyses.

The Grab Bag' is designed to complement 'the BAG' and for use by social scientists who may find 'the BAG' overly prescriptive. The eight methods presented are either more difficult for non-social scientists to use or, in a couple of cases, can substitute for one or more method presented in 'the BAG'. 'The Scoring and Analysis Guide' provides the user with help in making an actual assessment of the social C&I, based on the results of these methods.

The BAG focuses on the social criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, a topic that has been the subject of considerable controversy and uncertainty. It is designed for people interested in assessing sustainable forest management, but who do not have a high degree of expertise in social sciences. This manual describes six simple methods designed for use by biophysical scientists with a college education. These methods can also be used by assessors with higher levels of expertise in social sciences, but they are presented in a 'cookbook' format.

Who counts most? Assessing human well being in sustainable forest management presents a tool, 'the Who Counts Matrix', for differentiating 'forest actors', or people whose well-being and forest management are intimately intertwined, from other stakeholders. The authors argue for focusing formal attention on forest actors in efforts to develop sustainable forest management.

The Scoring and Analysis Guide for Assessing Human Well-Being is designed to supplement The BAG and The Grab Bag. It provides a scoring method that can be used with the two manuals, to come to a decision about particular criteria and indicators in particular forest and human settings. Following the section on scoring is a section on analysis. It begins very simply, leading the user through the steps of making a spreadsheet, and concluding with more complex statistical analyses that may be desirable in some circumstances.

Who counts most? Assessing human well being in sustainable forest management presents a tool, 'the Who Counts Matrix', for differentiating 'forest actors', or people whose well-being and forest management are intimately intertwined, from other stakeholders. The authors argue for focusing formal attention on forest actors in efforts to develop sustainable forest management.