Natural Resilience

Resilience is key to any plan for the future of life on Earth. But what exactly do we mean by resilience? In a climate and engineering context, we usually refer to resilience from a human perspective: how nature can be utilised to support the creation of resilient communities and economies in the face of natural hazards – particularly those exacerbated by climate change. In contrast, when we consider the devastating nature loss happening all around us, we tend to frame resilience in terms of nature for nature’s sake: how nature itself can be supported to become more resilient to habitat loss and climate change.

Both perspectives are equally valid, and critically, interconnected. The resilience of human society depends – to a very large extent – on the resilience of nature. This magazine explores various interpretations of, and approaches to, resilience, and considers our complex relationship with nature, setting the stage for a new resilience mindset. We discuss the success of nature-based solutions in Florida, and a trailblazing initiative to address the barriers to their implementation more widely. We look at the complex ecosystems of Peru to consider nature’s inherent resilience, and explore how we can harness the power of nature to create the best outcomes.

We discuss how, following nature’s lead, perhaps we can achieve a nature-positive future and move from a time of nature loss to a time of nature recovery. We examine two case studies: one celebrating innovative green bridge design to restore ancient habitats and protect rare populations, and another highlighting huge biodiversity gains generated from re-wilding obsolete pits at a working quarry.

Looking more closely through the human lens, we consider the intersectionality of climate change adaptation, and the importance of vulnerability for establishing where resilience is needed most, and in what form.

We examine the fascinating concept of sacred groves in India, and explore how a cultural and spiritual imperative to protect nature might be applied in different contexts. These articles demonstrate a real appetite for redefining our relationship with nature and restoring a balance of power – something that will clearly be mutually beneficial for the planet and its people.

Connected to this is an emerging sense that we need to ‘give back’ to nature by somehow restoring it to a former state. The examples we cover – using ancient land management techniques, re-wilding, retrofitting grey infrastructure and leaving nature to its own devices – all point to a sense of going back to a time when nature thrived. But looking back will not point us in the direction of a nature-positive future. We can’t go back. The world has changed, and will continue to change. Precisely because physical landscapes, habitats, ecosystems and species will inevitably change over time, in order to build lasting resilience, we must preserve the value of nature throughout time.

A resilience mindset will help maintain a value framework that, in spite of physical changes, maintains and enhances natural systems while supporting the critical functions that facilitate physical, social and cultural benefits for human society.

It does this by acknowledging the power of the natural world, and its inherent transformation. It works in partnership with nature and establishes a reciprocal and respectful relationship that evokes a genuine responsibility towards conservation for nature’s sake, and for the sake of our communities.

By studying nature more closely, we can predict its changes over time, and use this information to design innovative, sustainable and effective interventions. By considering people and the intersectionality of human resilience, we can continually assess vulnerability to address social inequality and work towards climate justice. Successful implementation of a resilience mindset requires anticipation and acceptance of a turbulent future, and the application of innovative and proactive solutions that align with the characteristics of that future.

By restoring the resilience of nature in this way, we can help ensure that its vital functions for the health and prosperity of humankind persist, as the world continues to change.