Community-led reforestation: cultivating the potential of virtuous cycles to confer resilience in disaster disrupted social–ecological systems

Sustainability Science volume 13, pages 797–813 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Human relationships with trees can result in widespread citizen-led reforestation projects that catalyze social–biological-reinforcing feedback loops and set in motion virtuous cycles that restore perturbed social–ecological systems. These virtuous cycles confer resilience in such systems that counterbalance the tendency for vicious cycles to be triggered by destructive behavior and neglect. Given this argument, we ask: how do we cultivate the potential for virtuous cycles to confer resilience in social–ecological systems? To answer this question, we review feedback mechanisms and identify virtuous cycles catalyzed via ecological restoration to highlight their importance to the resilience of social–ecological systems. We then conceptualize these cycles with a causal map (also known as a causal loop diagram) illustrating an example where restoration activities and civic ecology practices contributed to feedbacks and virtuous cycles. Following from this example, we discuss approaches for recognizing and investing in virtuous cycles that accompany social–ecological systems and outline approaches for managing such cycles.

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Fig. 1

Adapted from Walker and Salt (2006)

Fig. 2

Adapted from Walker and Salt (2006)

Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Notes

  1. 1.

    We are aware of parallel understandings of resilience in the psychological and engineering disciplines, but are here focused on social–ecological resilience.

  2. 2.

    http://www.parkwaypartnersnola.org/.

  3. 3.

    http://www.hikeforkatreena.org/.

  4. 4.

    http://www.parkwaypartnersnola.org/ReLeafNewOrleansInitiative.html.

  5. 5.

    http://www.chicagowilderness.org/.

  6. 6.

    http://greeningofdetroit.com/.

  7. 7.

    http://theislandermagazine.com/?p=2441.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge helpful encouragement from Marianne Krasny, Richard Stedman, and Max Pfeffer. We appreciate assistance furnished by Jean Fahr of Parkway Partners in New Orleans, and by Monique Pilie of Hike for KaTREEna, also in New Orleans. We are grateful to the leadership of the Community Forestry and Environmental Research Fellowships Program for providing the initial funding for this work, in particular Louise Fortmann, Jill Belsky, Marla Emery, and Jonathan Long. We remember and honor the work and life of fellow author and friend Mark Bain (1955–2012).

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Keith G. Tidball & Mark Bain

  2. Department of Geography, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Sara Metcalf

  3. Stockholm University and Stockholm Resilience Center, Stockholm, Sweden

    Thomas Elmqvist

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  1. Keith G. Tidball
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  2. Sara Metcalf
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  3. Mark Bain
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  4. Thomas Elmqvist
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Correspondence to Keith G. Tidball.

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Tidball, K.G., Metcalf, S., Bain, M. et al. Community-led reforestation: cultivating the potential of virtuous cycles to confer resilience in disaster disrupted social–ecological systems. Sustain Sci 13, 797–813 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-017-0506-5

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Keywords

  • Disaster
  • Resilience
  • Virtuous cycles
  • Hurricane Katrina
  • New Orleans
  • Social–ecological systems