Resilience Assessment

Resilience assessment integrates a set of key concepts to provide an alternative way of thinking about and practicing natural resource management.

A NEW workbook module describes a method for social-ecological inventories (SEI).  Ideally this would be done before embarking on a full resilience assessment.  SEI is a generic tool to identify existing knowledge and activities already underway in a region, as well as the key actors involved. 

Scroll to the bottom of the page to DOWNLOAD workbook files.

The recently updated workbook for practitioners uses strategic questions and activities to guide in constructing a conceptual model of a social-ecological system - a place along with its associated resources, stakeholders, institutions, and issues.  Building on the model, the assessment aids in identifying potential thresholds between alternative systems states and helps reveal what is contributing to or eroding resilience.  A resilience assessment can thus provide insight into developing strategies for buffering or coping with both known and unexpected change.

Online resilience assessment resources include examples of key concepts applied in a variety of different systems, an annotated bibliography, and an open projects database.   

Also available is a workbook for Scientists that is based on case-study comparisons of regional SESs and builds on an earlier framework (Walker et al. 2002).  It is intended for those already familiar with basic concepts of resilience and system dynamics.

Resilience Assessment Workbook Downloads

Assessing resilience in social-ecological systems: Workbook for practitioners (Revised version 2.0)

Assessing resilience in social-ecological systems - A workbook for scientists
Resilience Alliance

Social-ecological Inventory Workbook - Supplement to the workbook for Practitioners