Community Capacity to Adapt to a Changing Climate - New Brunswick ...

Capacity of Rural Communities to Adapt to Climate Change Samantha Thurlow MScF candidate University of New Brunswick Tom Beckley

Community Capacity  “The

collective ability of a group to combine

various forms of capital within institutional and relational contexts to produce desired results or outcomes.” (Beckley et al 2008)

al ur l at ta N api C

an l um pita H a C

Opportunities & Threats

Communal

Ca O pa ut c co ity m es

S so ph re ci er la al es ti o o f n s Market

Associative

E Ca co pi nom ta l ic

Bureaucratic

al al i c it So ap C

C C ap at a al cit ys y ts

A

ss et s

Facets of Community Capacity

1)Maintain Economic Vitality 2) Maintain Civic Vitality 3) Subsist and Persist 4) Access State Resources 5) Link to the Global Economy 6) Maintain Ecological Integrity 7) Maintain Human Health

Beckley et al 2008

Community Capitals (Beckley et al 2008)  Economic  Property

tax revenue

 Municipal  Personal

 Value

infrastructure

savings

of real estate

 Municipal

bond rating

 Number

of businesses

 Stability

and success of businesses

Community Capitals (Beckley et al 2008)  Human

Capital

 Education

attainment

 Dependency  Quality

of leadership

 Quantity  Life

ratio

of leadership

skills

 Trade

and technical training

 Entrepreneurship

Community Capitals (Beckley et al 2008)  Natural  Forest

 Soil

Capital resources

resources

 Amenity

values (aesthetics)

 Mineral

resources

 Wildlife

resources

 Water  Air

quality

quality

Community Capitals (Beckley et al 2008)  Social

Capital

 Participation

at events

 Number

of voluntary associations

 Bonding

social capital

 Bridging

social capital

 Linking

social capital

 Density

of acquaintanceship

 Social

networks


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Communal



Associative


Bureaucratic



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Beckley et al 2008

Climate Change  Communities  Flooding

Sea

level rise, storm surge, storms

 Erosion

 Fisheries

and aquaculture

 Physical

changes have both direct and indirect effects (Reid et al 2013)

 Damage

to gear and farm systems (Reid et al 2013)


an l um pita H a C


Communal



Associative


Bureaucratic



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ss et s



Beckley et al 2008

Aim  Increase  Identify

self reliance of small rural communities community assets and barriers

 Implement

the theoretical assessment tool and

workshop protocol developed by Beckley et al 2008

Study Communities

Pennfield

Google Maps

Preliminary Data  Interviews Signer et al 2014

Preliminary Interviews  Saint 4

Andrews, 6 interviews

women, 2 men

 Keswick 2

Ridge, 8 interviews

women, 6 men

 Blacks

Harbour and Pennfield

 Ongoing

Preliminary Data  Interviews  Statistics

Canada

Signer et al 2014

Statistics Canada Saint Andrews age distribution Saint Andrews

Charlotte County

New Brunswick

Canada

12 10

8 6 4 2 0

(Statistics Canada 2011)

Workshops  Exercises  Define

community boundaries

Signer et al 2014

Keswick Ridge Boundary Perception

Workshops  Exercises 

Define community boundaries



Rating of capital assets

Signer et al 2014

Capital Assets Exercise: Economic STABILITY AND SUCCESS OF BUSINESSES

MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

3

4

5

PROPERTY TAX REVENUE

VALUE OF REAL ESTATE

1

2

5

1

2

3

4

5








Compile asset amoeba

Signer et al 2014

Social Capital

Infrastructure Voluntary Associations Participation

5 4

Economic Capital

Business Success

Real Estate Value

3 2

Bonding

Property Tax Revenue

1

0

Bridging

Entrepreneurship

Soil

Natural Capital

Education

Amenity

Life Skills

Water Quality

Leadership Wildlife

Human Capital








Compile asset amoeba

 Exit

surveys

 Follow-up

and practical recommendations

Signer et al 2014

End Results 

Empowerment of the pilot communities through the building of capacity and strengthening of their weaknesses



Help communities become more self reliant



Further development of an assessment tool for community capacity



Workbook with broader applications that can be used in any region

References 

Beckley, T.M., D. Martz, S. Nadeau, E. Wall, and B. Reimer. 2008. Multiple capacities, multiple outcomes: Delving deeper into the meaning of community capacity. Journal of Rural and Community Development, 3(3): 56-75.



Reid, G.K., A. Garber, L. Cooper, M. Greenlaw and M. Flaherty. 2013. Climate change implications on aquaculture management and research. Aquaculture Canada.



Signer, K., K. Reeder, and D. Killorn. 2014. Community Vulnerability Assessment of Climate Change and Variability Impacts in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, St. Croix Estuary Project Inc. and Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc.

Acknowledgements

Keswick Ridge Environmental Trust Fund

Questions?

Hoskins, N.

Saint Andrews

(Signer et al 2014)



Population ~1,800 (Statistics Canada 2011)



National Historic Site 1998



3 long-term operations that influence the sociodemographics  Huntsman,

SABS and Algonquin



Tourism – May to October



Predominately seniors



Flooding Hoskins, N.

Blacks Harbour

(Signer et al 2014)



Population ~982



Fishing Industry town

(Statistics Canada 2011)

 Herring 

Aquaculture



Ferry to Grand Mannan



Ocean Acidification and warming

http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/131845/sunset_harbour_.jpg

St. George

(Signer et al 2014)



Populations ~1,500 (Statistics Canada 2011)



Long established community



Salmon Aquaculture



Manufacturing and natural resource sectors  Irving,

Cooke Aquaculture and fishermen



20,000-50,000$ annually



Flooding, ocean acidification, and warming

Thurlow, S

Keswick Ridge Saint Andrews