Alison Cottrell

Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory for modelling community resilience to natural disasters

This paper advocates the use of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory as a framework to analyse resilience at diverse scales. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory can be employed to (a) benchmark social resilience, (b) target the priority interventions required and (c) measure progress arising from these interventions to enhance resilience to natural disasters. First, the paper explores resilience to natural disasters in the context of climatic change as building resilience is seen as a way to mitigate impacts of natural disasters. Second, concepts of resilience are systematically examined and documented, outlining resilience as a trait and resilience as a process. Third, issues arising in relation to the measurement of resilience are discussed. Fourth, Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory is described and proffered to model and assess resilience at different scales. Fifth, studies are described which have supported the use of the bioecological systems theory for the study of resilience. Sixth, an example of the use of Bronfenbrenner’s theory is offered and the paper concludes with suggestions for future research using Bronfenbrenner’s theory.

Communities and bushfire hazard in Australia: More questions than answers

Abstract The issue of communities and their exposure to bushfire hazard is highly topical internationally. There is a perceived trend of greater exposure to bushfire risk which is exacerbated by increased levels of building in fire-prone areas or peri-urban regions. There is a need to clarify what we understand to be peri-urban regions, and how we conceptualise and describe the communities that reside in them, in order that efficient and effective services are provided. However, more questions arise for us. For example: Where are these communities located? What do we know about the people who live there? What are the implications for bushfire mitigation? Despite being problematic, locality remains important to the understanding of communities, bushfire hazard and delivery of services.

What Determines the Acceptability of Wildlife Control Methods? A Case of Feral Pig Management in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Australia

Understanding public acceptability of wildlife control methods is key to successful wildlife management. The existing literature, however, pays little attention to alien invasive species. We evaluated the acceptability of methods used to control feral pigs (Sus scrofa; trapping, hunting, fencing, and poison baiting) in Australias Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA) across local residents of and tourists to the area, using household surveys and tourist surveys. We predicted that the level of acceptability of a control method would differ across stakeholder groups (i.e., resident, tourist) and methods considered inhumane and/or unsafe would be less supported. Local residents expressed more support for feral pig control than tourists. Both groups identified similar factors, such as humaneness, as being important, but local residents also considered effectiveness and direct social and/or economic benefits from control. We conclude that the types of stakeholder groups determine the acceptability of the methods, but factors considered important in supporting methods can be case-specific.

Fits and misfits of linked public participation and spatial information in water quality management on the Great Barrier Reef coast (Australia)

Public participation is experiencing increasing recognition as an indispensable component of effective communication and engagement between resource users and managers in natural resource planning and management. To bridge a gap between communication, information and participation, natural resource management agencies have increasingly used the visual capability of spatial decision support tools, such as geographic information systems. Nevertheless, both participation and the use of spatial technologies have been promoted without much consideration of how particular stakeholder groups participate and use existing decision support tools. This paper analyses the current state of public participation and the extent to which spatial data and geographic information tools are used by stakeholder groups to facilitate access to information and to support communication in water quality management on the Great Barrier Reef coast. Data were collected via document analysis, participant observation at stakeholders’ meeting, face-to-face interviews and questionnaires. Qualitative data were coded for themes using coding analysis processes, whereas quantitative data from the surveys were analysed using standard exploratory and descriptive statistical techniques. Results reveal that reliance on the natural resource management officer, established networks and personal relationships, and provision of property-scale spatial information are important aspects of a meaningful public participation process.

Communities living with hazards

[Extract] This book, Communities Living with Hazards, is a celebration of the twentyfifth anniversary of the establishment of the Centre for Disaster Studies. The Centre was formally established by resolution of the Council of James Cook University on 5 April 1979. Staff and researchers with the Centre in 2004 contributed papers that encapsulated their areas of disaster research in order to present a summary of the diversity and orientation of the Centre after 25 years.

Disasters and Climate Change

[Extract] Whereas in other areas of social impact assessment (SIA) where studies are generally undertaken as ex-ante assessments, the consideration of the human catastrophes that result from natural hazards tends to only occur as ex-post assessments. However, as is the case with other SIAs, analysis of the experience of previous events can provide information that can be used to improve planning and preparedness, and thereby reduce vulnerability and enhance resilience of individuals, households and communities in the future (Keys, 1991; Buckle, 1999; Buckle et aI., 2001; Comfort et aI., 2001; Handmer, 2003; Benson and Twigg, 2004, 2007; Berkes, 2007). What is learnt and understood becomes incorporated into emergency management, organizational practice and community awareness and preparedness activities.

Land use planning for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation: operationalizing policy and legislation at local levels

Purpose The Hyogo Framework for Action focussed disaster risk reduction (DRR) on land-use planning, with international agencies, research organisations and national governments recognising the importance of DRR through hazard informed land-use planning. This paper aims to examine the roles of planners in reducing hazard risk through settlement design, land-use plans and legislation, and identify shortcomings and constraints towards achieving Disaster Risk Reduction. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses community-based research from Australia, Thailand and Indonesia to discuss land-use planning in local governance frameworks following major disasters, including cyclone, flood and tsunami. Findings This paper shows that land-use planning systems are still primarily geared toward promoting and facilitating development and have not evolved sufficiently to take account of DRR and climate change. Social implications Land-use planning frameworks for hazard-resilient communities remain disconnected from the emergency management and disaster risk reduction systems. The goal to create disaster-resilient communities through the land-use planning systems requires a fundamental change to the way in which planning is conceptualised and practised. Social equity is also a huge issue where investment focuses on urban development. Originality/value The study contributes to an understanding of the opportunities and constraints for land-use planning to enhance climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction through legislation, policies, regional and local statutory planning schemes, enforceable planning and development controls and building codes.

Can social resilience inform SA/SIA for adaptive planning for climate change in vulnerable regions?

Social resilience concepts are gaining momentum in environmental planning through an emerging understanding of the socio-ecological nature of biophysical systems. There is a disconnect, however, between these concepts and the sociological and psychological literature related to social resilience. Further still, both schools of thought are not well connected to the concepts of social assessment (SA) and social impact assessment (SIA) that are the more standard tools supporting planning and decision-making. This raises questions as to how emerging social resilience concepts can translate into improved SA/SIA practices to inform regional-scale adaptation. Through a review of the literature, this paper suggests that more cross-disciplinary integration is needed if social resilience concepts are to have a genuine impact in helping vulnerable regions tackle climate change.

Australian perceptions of Indonesia as a threat

Abstract The proportion of Australians who perceive Indonesia as a threat is growing. However, this analysis of the 1993 Australian Election Study indicates that the increase in perceptions of threat is primarily held by older Australians, those who hold protectionist trade views and those who are concerned about East Timor. Whether these increases are a response to events in East Timor or are long standing remains to be determined.

Protecting migratory species in the Australian marine environment: A cross-jurisdictional analysis of policy and management plans

Marine migratory species are difficult to manage because animal movements can span large areas and are unconstrained by jurisdictional boundaries. We reviewed policy and management plans associated with four case studies protected under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999) in order to identify the coherence of policy and management plans for managing marine migratory species in Australia. Environmental policies (n = 23) and management plans (n = 115) relevant to marine turtles, dugongs, humpback whales, and migratory shorebirds were reviewed. Few of the reviewed policies (n = 7) listed protected species and even fewer (n = 4) listed protected marine migratory species. Marine turtles were most represented in the reviewed policies (n = 7), while migratory shorebirds were most represented in management plans (n = 59). Policies and management plans were much more likely to identify relationships to other policies or plans within the same jurisdiction than to different jurisdictions. The EPBC Act 1999 served as the central link between reviewed policies and plans, but the requirements of that Act were weakly integrated into the other documents. This weak integration and the biases toward specific migratory species in environmental policies and management plans are detrimental to the conservation of these Matters of National Environmental Significance in Australia. Any changes to the EPBC Act 1999 will affect all environmental policy and management plans in Australia and highlights a need for cooperative, multi-level governance of migratory species. Our findings may have relevance to the conservation of marine migratory species in a broader international context.