1. 1 The things we learned about rural capacity in the new economy The Environment Theme Team: Tom Beckley, Diane Martz, Ellen Wall, Solange Nadeau, John Parkins, Sara Teitelbaum, Emily Huddart, Asaf Rashid Katia Marzall, Ingrid Brueckner

2. 2 Review of Environment Theme Projects 1) Governance of natural resources   Community Forestry Initiatives   BC, ON, QC and NB  Collaborative watershed management in NB 2) Climate change   Capacity and resilience 3) Natural capital’s contribution to capacity 4) Environmental Values Survey  )  National in scope (urban and rural)

3. 3 The things we learned 1.Local capacity is strongly related to external forces, trends and partners 2.Unit of analysis is critical for capacity 3.Context is critical – few universal lessons 4.Capacity is difficult to measure A vast array of component parts need to be measured and monitored over time. The “complex” or dynamic version of our model looks like…

4. 4 Time T1 T3 T2 Capitals = X (F, N, H, S) Catalyst #1 Threat Relational Spheres Feedback #1 #1 Capacity Outcome #1 Time T1a Capitals = X +1 (F, N, H, S) Catalyst #2 Opportunity Relational Spheres Capacity Outcome #2 Feedback #2 Capitals = X +1.5 (F, N, H, S) T2a T3a Catalyst #3 Threat Relational Spheres Capacity Outcome Capacity Outcome #3

5. 5 1) Challenges in measuring capacity Limited natural resource data Limited natural resource data Amalgamation of data difficult Amalgamation of data difficult Quality more important than quantity Quality more important than quantity  municipal waste water (not whether they exist, but how effective)  Chamber of Commerce (not whether one exists, but how effective)

6. 6 Implications New data requires collaboration New data requires collaboration  Between natural and social sciences  Between government agencies responsible for data collection Need quality assessments of key capacity variables Need quality assessments of key capacity variables  Relevant to other data and analysis.

7. 7 2) Capacity is strongly related to external forces, trends and partners Bridging capital is critical in rural capacity. Bridging capital is critical in rural capacity. Rural-Urban alliances key to success Rural-Urban alliances key to success  Resource flows from urban to rural  Urban markets for rural goods  External lobby groups  Isolated resource towns producing single commodities have the steepest hill to climb  Urban & Government political support (community forestry)  Cooperate and collaborate without losing rural advantages

8. 8 Examples (evidence) Capacity of farm lobby resulted in financial assistance to Usborne farmers Capacity of farm lobby resulted in financial assistance to Usborne farmers  Local capacity less important than links to higher level institutions. Local capacity alone is not sufficient to initiate community forestry Local capacity alone is not sufficient to initiate community forestry  Needs enabling legislation, approval of pilot projects, or government downsizing for it to happen. Community forestry requires a willing (or apathetic) urban majority Community forestry requires a willing (or apathetic) urban majority Example, the

9. 9 Working Towards Community Forestry in New Brunswick and Ontario Capacity Catalyst: Westwind Forest Stewardship Inc. Major downsizing created unemployed trained forestry staff Former employees (outsiders) instrumental in establishing Westwind Brought experience and “legitimacy” External force developed community capacity Negative at the time, but some positives in the long run.

10. 10 3) Unit of analysis is critical for capacity Community-level bias Community-level bias Capacity doesn’t always coalesce at this level Capacity doesn’t always coalesce at this level  (see earlier point about bridging capital)

11. 11 More about measuring capacity: Unit of analysis Our environmental values survey respondents (national sample of 1600+) said they faced constraints at the household or individual level. Our environmental values survey respondents (national sample of 1600+) said they faced constraints at the household or individual level.  Not enough knowledge  Not enough time  Not enough money  Lack of support from fellow householders

12. 12 Unit of analysis Household capacity seems important in environmental stewardship. Household capacity seems important in environmental stewardship. Good news from this particular research Good news from this particular research  85% of all Canadians expressed concern for the environment.  70% acknowledged that they could and should do better in reducing consumption and/or minimizing their impact.  Common ground between rural and urban, and a huge amount of un-tapped “good intention”.

13. 13 More on examples/(evidence) regarding unit of analysis Some communities are quite divided Some communities are quite divided Tweed – Hog facility Tweed – Hog facility  Capacity of the “pro” forces are pitted against the capacity of the “anti” forces. Conflict isn’t all bad Conflict isn’t all bad  More overall capacity may emerge from situations like this  Cohesion ≠ Capacity

14. 14 Example (evidence) Miramichi Watershed Management Committee 14,000 Sq. Km. watershed. Broad geographic scope, but narrow scope of interest (recreational salmon fishery). Traditional unit of analysis (Blissfield) was not sufficient to illustrate the critical resource management issues going on there.  Decisions and politics were happening at a higher level.

15. 15 Unit of analysis – continued The role of individuals must be recognized as an important factor (perhaps the important factor) in community capacity.   Some places may be better off with 2 or 3 very capable, connected, motivated individuals than with 20 or 50 moderately competent, poorly connected, slightly motivated people.

16. 16 Examples Tweed Heritage Centre would not exist without individual leadership skills of the director. Tweed Heritage Centre would not exist without individual leadership skills of the director. Mill closure in Boisetown, NB. Small number of key individuals made things happen. Mill closure in Boisetown, NB. Small number of key individuals made things happen. We have met many of these individuals in our research experiences. We have met many of these individuals in our research experiences. These individuals are priceless. These individuals are priceless.

17. 17 Implications Nurturing capacity at the individual level may yield the best results. Nurturing capacity at the individual level may yield the best results. Investments in individual capacity development may be more efficient. Investments in individual capacity development may be more efficient. Can we keep that capacity “in place”? Can we keep that capacity “in place”? Often times, these individuals already have high capacity. Often times, these individuals already have high capacity.  Then the question is, “What resources do you need?”  Not, “What training do you need?”

18. 18 Unit of Analysis - Getting past the urban rural divide and looking at both sides of the coin Media plays up differences Media plays up differences Research can identify common ground. Research can identify common ground. Environmental values survey Environmental values survey  Rural/urban differences insignificant.  The way environmental stewardship is expressed and acted upon differs, but not concern for the environment.

19. 19 4) Context is critical Capacity to do what? This is our eternal question. Capacity to do what? This is our eternal question.  Even for the same phenomenon, there may be many motivations  e.g. community forestry – environment, recreation, non-timber products, aesthetics, local control.  Latent capacity – places may have more capacity than they know but often it is not evident until they are challenged or tested.

20. 20 Context is critical The magnitude and source and characteristics of a threat can contribute to capacity, but also reduce it. The magnitude and source and characteristics of a threat can contribute to capacity, but also reduce it.  Clear and identifiable external threats that appear suddenly can galvanize communities (mill closures, Gov’t downsizing, disasters like the 1998 Ice Storm)  Slow-acting, vague or diffuse, internal threats may divide communities (youth out-migration, slow deterioration in water quality, slow transformation of community through sprawl)

21. 21 Implications There is no one best way to develop capacity There is no one best way to develop capacity  “Recipe book” approaches don’t work  No “one size fits all” solution  Difficult for bureaucrats to hear this message  They want transferable solutions  Programme level solutions Capacity assessments by local residents working with “experts” Capacity assessments by local residents working with “experts”  Assessments will allow for capacity building where the greatest need exists, or where the greatest gains are possible.

22. 22 Summary Need to actively seek to overcome rural/urban divide Need to actively seek to overcome rural/urban divide  Its not productive - lots of win-wins out there Need to understand local contexts and capacity needs before imposing policy solutions Need to understand local contexts and capacity needs before imposing policy solutions  What works in one place, may not be effective at all in another for reasons that are not readily apparent We need to work at multiple units of analysis We need to work at multiple units of analysis  Not just communities (individual, household, regions) Need better data, and tools to allow different datasets to “speak” to one another Need better data, and tools to allow different datasets to “speak” to one another  Formats where social and ecological data can combine to tell a more complex and nuanced story of success or decline