Community mapping has been widely used in East Kalimantan to secure indigenous property rights and promote community-based management of natural resources. In most cases, conflicts over land and natural resources have been solved during the mapping process through delineation of boundaries. Such conflicts may occur between local communities and the government, between communities, and within communities. Conflicts between communities are especially likely in relation to claims over areas that have high economic value, such as mineral deposits or timber concessions. These disputes highlight debates over ancestral and administrative boundaries, ownership of resources and land, and the rights of other parties, including migrants. In addition, conflict among village members has increased as a result of village élites allocating natural resources for their own economic benefit. As shown in the case study, in some villages maps were used to legitimise individual ownership rather than communal village ownership.

This demonstrates that conflicts remain and the mapping process tends to be driven by élites and facilitators. Consequently, the effectiveness of community mapping in promoting community-based management of resources remains questionable. However, local economic and social development can be achieved when power sharing between parties leads to more equitable and sustainable resource use. The land-use planning process in community mapping can provide opportunities for participatory democracy and decentralised decision making where an effective conflict-resolution mechanism can be established. However, these opportunities may be compromised by the way that maps are used when the mapping process is complete.

Some conflict over natural resource management is generally unavoidable and is part of the dynamic nature of indigenous communities. However, this conflict should be managed in order to maintain stability within the community and sustain equity in resource use. The combination of co-management and adaptive management, where management adapts to changing ecological and social conditions, may enable greater involvement of indigenous communities in natural resource management. In addition, adaptive conflict management, through repetition of community-mapping processes, may be an appropriate solution for maintaining power relations and equity within communities.