Research Report
Helen Ross1, Michael Cuthill1, Kirsten
Maclean2, Danni Jansen1 and Bradd
Witt1
1 The University of Queensland
2 CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems
ISBN 9781921359521
Published November 2010
MTSRF Project 4.9.7
(extension b) - Understanding and enhancing social
resilience: Science and management integration project from
the catchment to region scale
Executive Summary
The concept of resilience in social-ecological systems has
attracted considerable recent interest as a foundation for Natural
Resource Management (NRM), yet there is a distinct knowledge gap
when it comes to the social dimensions of resilience.
This research project focused on developing a regional level
social resilience monitoring and reporting framework. Research was
undertaken by a team of University of Queensland researchers,
working in partnership with key industry partners in North
Queensland:
- Wet Tropics Management Authority;
- Terrain NRM Ltd.;
- Aboriginal Rainforest Council;
- Girringun Aboriginal Corporation;
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; and
- Queensland Department of Communities.
The framework provides guidance to these agencies for both their
planning and reporting processes, and evaluation of progress in
implementing actions related to the social aspects of their plans.
This research moves the management of social resilience, which is
an emerging area of interest for both natural resource managers and
other agencies, from a set of assumptions to an evidence base.
Our approach to social resilience is that it relates to how
individuals, communities and societies adapt, transform, and
potentially become stronger when faced with environmental, social,
economic or political challenges. We identified the key attributes
of social resilience for Far North Queensland through a
comprehensive and systematic literature review, research partner
workshops, and six case studies focusing on recovery from major
changes, and the building of resilience. The resulting analysis
identifies six social resilience indicators:
- People-place connections;
- Knowledge, skills and learning;
- Community networks;
- Engaged governance;
- Diverse and innovative economy; and
- Community infrastructure.
We have identified sets of monitoring criteria which sit under
each social resilience indicator and have populated some of these
criteria with baseline data. However, there are data shortfalls
with other criteria that will require additional primary data
collection.
Working from results of our study, we propose that environmental
management, and Aboriginal and social development organisations
with regional responsibilities can choose to incorporate the social
dimensions of resilience thinking in three ways. Their first option
is to pursue their existing mandates in consciousness of social
resilience characteristics, without trying to intervene.
However, social knowledge may prompt some adaptation of
existing management strategies. For instance, understanding local
variations in people-place connections may influence their choices
of communication strategies. A second option is to take advantage
of resilience characteristics in management strategies, for
instance to invoke strong people-place connections and recruit and
support existing community networks towards stewardship behaviour.
The third is to pursue organisational mandates in a new way that
enhances social resilience simultaneously, for instance explicitly
building a more diverse and innovative economy through new
employment and business structures in environmental management.
