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The things we learned about rural capacity in the new

economy

The things we learned about rural capacity in the new

economy

The Environment Theme Team:The Environment Theme Team:

Tom Beckley, Diane Martz, Ellen Wall, Tom Beckley, Diane Martz, Ellen Wall, Solange Nadeau, John Parkins, Sara Solange Nadeau, John Parkins, Sara

Teitelbaum, Emily Huddart, Asaf RashidTeitelbaum, Emily Huddart, Asaf RashidKatia Marzall, Ingrid BruecknerKatia Marzall, Ingrid Brueckner

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Review of Environment Theme Projects

Review of Environment Theme Projects

•1) Governance of natural resources Community Forestry Initiatives

BC, ON, QC and NB Collaborative watershed management in NBCollaborative 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))

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The things we learnedThe things we learned

1.1. Local capacity is strongly related to external Local capacity is strongly related to external forces, trends and partnersforces, trends and partners

2.2. Unit of analysis is critical for capacityUnit of analysis is critical for capacity

3.3. Context is critical – few universal lessonsContext is critical – few universal lessons

4.4. Capacity is difficult to measureCapacity is difficult to measureA vast array of component parts need to be measured A vast array of component parts need to be measured and monitored over time. and monitored over time.

The “complex” or dynamic version of our model looks The “complex” or dynamic version of our model looks like…like…

4Time

T1

T3

T2

Cap

itals

= X

(F, N

, H, S

)

Catalyst #1Threat

Relational Spheres

Feedback #1 #1

Capacity Outcome

#1

Time

T1a

Cap

itals

= X

+1

(F, N

, H, S

)

Catalyst #2Opportunity

Relational Spheres

Capacity Outcome

#2

Feedback #2

Cap

itals

= X

+1.

5(F

, N, H

, S)

T2a

T3aCatalyst #3

Threat Relational Spheres

Capacity Outcome

Capacity Outcome

#3

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1) Challenges in measuring capacity1) Challenges in measuring capacity

•Limited natural resource dataLimited natural resource data

•Amalgamation of data difficultAmalgamation of data difficult

•Quality more important than quantityQuality more important than quantity municipal waste water (not whether they municipal waste water (not whether they

exist, but how effective) exist, but how effective) Chamber of Commerce (not whether one Chamber of Commerce (not whether one

exists, but how effective)exists, but how effective)

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ImplicationsImplications

•New data requires collaboration New data requires collaboration Between natural and social sciencesBetween natural and social sciences Between government agencies responsible for Between government agencies responsible for

data collection data collection

•Need quality assessments of key capacity Need quality assessments of key capacity variablesvariables Relevant to other data and analysis. Relevant to other data and analysis.

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2) Capacity is strongly related to external forces, trends and partners

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 successRural-Urban alliances key to success

Resource flows from urban to rural Resource flows from urban to rural Urban markets for rural goodsUrban markets for rural goods External lobby groups External lobby groups Isolated resource towns producing single commodities Isolated resource towns producing single commodities

have the steepest hill to climbhave the steepest hill to climb Urban & Government political support (community Urban & Government political support (community

forestry)forestry) Cooperate and collaborate without losing rural Cooperate and collaborate without losing rural

advantages advantages

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Examples (evidence)Examples (evidence)

• Capacity of farm lobby resulted in financial Capacity of farm lobby resulted in financial assistance to Usborne farmersassistance to Usborne farmers Local capacity less important than links to higher level Local capacity less important than links to higher level

institutions.institutions.

• Local capacity alone is not sufficient to initiate Local capacity alone is not sufficient to initiate community forestrycommunity forestry Needs enabling legislation, approval of pilot projects, or Needs enabling legislation, approval of pilot projects, or

government downsizing for it to happen.government downsizing for it to happen.

• Community forestry requires a willing (or apathetic) Community forestry requires a willing (or apathetic) urban majorityurban majority

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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.

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3) Unit of analysis is critical for capacity

3) Unit of analysis is critical for capacity

•Community-level biasCommunity-level bias

•Capacity doesn’t always coalesce at this Capacity doesn’t always coalesce at this level level (see earlier point about bridging capital)(see earlier point about bridging capital)

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More about measuring capacity: Unit of analysis

More about measuring capacity: Unit of analysis

• Our environmental values survey respondents Our environmental values survey respondents (national sample of 1600+) said they faced (national sample of 1600+) said they faced constraints at the constraints at the householdhousehold or individual level. or individual level. Not enough knowledgeNot enough knowledge Not enough timeNot enough time Not enough moneyNot enough money Lack of support from fellow householdersLack of support from fellow householders

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Unit of analysisUnit of analysis•Household capacity seems important in Household capacity seems important in

environmental stewardship.environmental stewardship.• Good news from this particular researchGood news from this particular research

85% of all Canadians expressed concern for the 85% of all Canadians expressed concern for the environment. environment.

70% acknowledged that they could and should do 70% acknowledged that they could and should do better in reducing consumption and/or minimizing better in reducing consumption and/or minimizing their impact. their impact.

Common ground between rural and urban, and a huge Common ground between rural and urban, and a huge amount of un-tapped “good intention”.amount of un-tapped “good intention”.

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More on examples/(evidence) regarding unit of analysis

More on examples/(evidence) regarding unit of analysis

• Some communities Some communities are quite dividedare quite divided

• Tweed – Hog facilityTweed – Hog facility Capacity of the “pro” Capacity of the “pro”

forces are pitted forces are pitted against the capacity of against the capacity of the “anti” forces. the “anti” forces.

• Conflict isn’t all badConflict isn’t all bad More overall capacity More overall capacity

may emerge from may emerge from situations like thissituations like this

Cohesion ≠ CapacityCohesion ≠ Capacity

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Example (evidence)Example (evidence)

• Miramichi Watershed Management Committee Miramichi Watershed Management Committee

• 14,000 Sq. Km. watershed. Broad geographic 14,000 Sq. Km. watershed. Broad geographic scope, but narrow scope of interest scope, but narrow scope of interest (recreational salmon fishery). (recreational salmon fishery).

• Traditional unit of analysis (Blissfield) was not Traditional unit of analysis (Blissfield) was not sufficient to illustrate the critical resource sufficient to illustrate the critical resource management issues going on there. management issues going on there. Decisions and politics were happening at a higher Decisions and politics were happening at a higher

level. level.

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Unit of analysis – continuedUnit 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.

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Examples Examples

• Tweed Heritage Centre would not exist without Tweed Heritage Centre would not exist without individual leadership skills of the director. individual leadership skills of the director.

• Mill closure in Boisetown, NB. Small number of Mill closure in Boisetown, NB. Small number of key individuals made things happen. key individuals made things happen.

• We have met many of these individuals in our We have met many of these individuals in our research experiences. research experiences.

• These individuals are priceless. These individuals are priceless.

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ImplicationsImplications• Nurturing capacity at the individual level may yield Nurturing capacity at the individual level may yield

the best results. the best results.

• Investments in individual capacity development Investments in individual capacity development may be more efficient. 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 Often times, these individuals already have high capacity. capacity. Then the question is, “What resources do you need?”Then the question is, “What resources do you need?” Not, “What training do you need?”Not, “What training do you need?”

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Unit of Analysis -Getting past the urban rural divide and

looking at both sides of the coin

Unit of Analysis -Getting past the urban rural divide and

looking at both sides of the coin

• Media plays up differencesMedia plays up differences

• Research can identify common ground. Research can identify common ground.

• Environmental values surveyEnvironmental values survey Rural/urban differences insignificant. Rural/urban differences insignificant. The way environmental stewardship is The way environmental stewardship is

expressed and acted upon differs, but not expressed and acted upon differs, but not concern for the environment. concern for the environment.

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4) Context is critical 4) Context is critical

• Capacity to do what? This is our eternal Capacity to do what? This is our eternal question. question. Even for the same phenomenon, there may be Even for the same phenomenon, there may be

many motivations many motivations e.g. community forestry – environment, recreation, e.g. community forestry – environment, recreation,

non-timber products, aesthetics, local control. non-timber products, aesthetics, local control. Latent capacity – places may have more Latent capacity – places may have more

capacity than they know but often it is not capacity than they know but often it is not evident until they are challenged or tested. evident until they are challenged or tested.

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Context is critical Context is critical

• The magnitude and source and characteristics of a The magnitude and source and characteristics of a threat can contribute to capacity, but also reduce threat can contribute to capacity, but also reduce it. it. Clear and identifiable external threats that appear Clear and identifiable external threats that appear

suddenly can galvanize communities (mill closures, Gov’t suddenly can galvanize communities (mill closures, Gov’t downsizing, disasters like the 1998 Ice Storm)downsizing, disasters like the 1998 Ice Storm)

Slow-acting, vague or diffuse, internal threats may divide Slow-acting, vague or diffuse, internal threats may divide communities (youth out-migration, slow deterioration in communities (youth out-migration, slow deterioration in water quality, slow transformation of community through water quality, slow transformation of community through sprawl)sprawl)

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ImplicationsImplications

• There is no one best way to develop capacityThere is no one best way to develop capacity ““Recipe book” approaches don’t workRecipe book” approaches don’t work

No No “one size fits all” solution“one size fits all” solution

Difficult for bureaucrats to hear this messageDifficult for bureaucrats to hear this message They want transferable solutionsThey want transferable solutions Programme level solutions Programme level solutions

• Capacity assessments by local residents working with Capacity assessments by local residents working with “experts”“experts” Assessments will allow for capacity building where the greatest need Assessments will allow for capacity building where the greatest need

exists, or where the greatest gains are possible. exists, or where the greatest gains are possible.

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SummarySummary

• Need to actively seek to overcome rural/urban Need to actively seek to overcome rural/urban divide divide

Its not productive - lots of win-wins out thereIts not productive - lots of win-wins out there

• Need to understand local contexts and capacity Need to understand local contexts and capacity needs before imposing policy solutions needs before imposing policy solutions

What works in one place, may not be effective at all in another for What works in one place, may not be effective at all in another for reasons that are not readily apparentreasons 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)Not just communities (individual, household, regions)

• Need better data, and tools to allow different Need better data, and tools to allow different datasets to “speak” to one anotherdatasets to “speak” to one another

Formats where social and ecological data can combine to tell a Formats where social and ecological data can combine to tell a more complex and nuanced story of success or declinemore complex and nuanced story of success or decline