The resilience analysis of ecosystems and mapping of community values and actions attempted in this study provide entry points for an ecosystem-based adaptation strategy which addresses positive and negative factors as well as acts on gaps and opportunities in enhancing climate resilience in Infanta.

1. Ecosystem Resilience and Community Values:
Implications to Ecosystem-Based Adaptation
Poster Session: P9
Ecosystem Resilience and Community Values:
Implications to Ecosystem-Based Adaptation
Noralene Uy and Rajib Shaw
Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University
E-mail: uy.noralene.66c@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp, shaw.rajib.5u@kyoto-u.ac.jp
In recent years, the case for ecosystem approaches
in disaster risk reduction and climate change adapta-
tion is strongly argued because losses can be reduced
and safer and resilient communities built by ensuring
resource sustainability and enhancing ecosystem re-
silience. Recognizing the interdependencies of ecolog-
ical, physical, economic, social and institutional actors
and that community-level perception can shape adap-
tation actions, a study is conducted through surveys
of village councils and households in Infanta, Que-
zon, Philippines. Utilizing a questionnaire covering
5 dimensions, 25 parameters and 125 measures se-
lected based on the local context of Infanta, the level
of resilience in mountain, riverine, urban, agricul-
tural plain, estuarine and coastal ecosystems is deter-
mined. In addition, a survey on community values
for ecosystem services as well as autonomous and rec-
ommended adaptation actions is done. Results show
that overall resilience levels of ecosystems lie between
3.08 (medium resilience) and 3.26 (high resilience) on
a scale of 1 to 5. The coastal ecosystem demonstrates
the highest resilience while the mountain ecosystem
shows the lowest resilience. Moreover, the community
gives high value to the floodplain and ocean as natural
assets and the forest and coastal ecosystems for their
provisioning, regulating and cultural services. Lastly,
autonomous daptation actions are primarily ecologi-
cal, economic and social in nature. By assessing the
resilience of ecosystems and mapping of community
values and actions as attempted in this study, entry
points for an ecosystem-based adaptation strategy are
identified while addressing positive and negative fac-
tors as well as gaps and opportunities to enhance the
resilience of Infanta’s ecosystems.
Keywords: ecosystem resilience, community values,
ecosystem-based adaptation
1. Introduction
The value of intact and well-functioning ecosystems
has been increasingly recognized in disaster risk reduction
and climate change adaptation in recent years. Ecosys-
tems play a vital role in human well-being because of the
numerous benefits that can be derived from them. In the
context of natural disasters and climate change, ecosys-
tems are critical natural capital because of their ability
to regulate climate and natural hazards. Well-managed
ecosystems can support disaster risk reduction and cli-
mate change adaptation by continuing to provide protec-
tive functions as well as other ecosystem services that are
threatened by climate change. The case for ecosystem
approaches in disaster risk reduction and climate change
adaptation is strongly argued because the integrated man-
agement of land, water and living resources that promotes
conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way can
result to reduced losses and safer and resilient communi-
ties.
2. Methodology
Recognizing the strong interdependencies of ecologi-
cal, physical, economic, social and institutional dimen-
sions in ecosystems and that community-level percep-
tions can shape adaptation actions, a survey is conducted
in 36 village councils in Infanta utilizing a question-
naire covering 5 dimensions, 25 parameters and 125 mea-
sures selected based on the local context of Infanta to
gain an understanding of the level of resilience in moun-
tain, riverine, urban, agricultural plain, estuarine and
coastal ecosystems. In addition, focus group discussions
are undertaken in six villages representing the mountain,
riverine, urban, agricultural plain, estuarine and coastal
ecosystems to support information obtained from the sur-
vey. Moreover, another questionnaire survey to deter-
mine community values for ecosystem services as well as
autonomous and recommended adaptation actions is un-
dertaken with 661 households in six villages in Infanta.
Lastly, a stakeholders’ validation workshop is held to ob-
tain feedback and inputs in formulating an ecosystem-
based adaptation strategy to enhance climate resilience in
Infanta.
3. Discussion
Survey results show that overall resilience levels of
ecosystems lie between 3.08 (medium resilience) and 3.26
(high resilience) on a scale of 1 to 5 (Fig. 1). The coastal
ecosystem demonstrates the highest resilience while the
mountain ecosystem shows the lowest resilience. Re-
silience scores in the ecological, physical, economic, so-
Journal of Disaster Research Vol.8 No.1, 2013 201

2. Uy, N. and Shaw, R.
1
2
3
4
5
Ecological
Physical
EconomicSocial
Institutional
1
2
3
4
5
Ecological
Physical
EconomicSocial
Institutional
1
2
3
4
5
Ecological
Physical
EconomicSocial
Institutional
A B C
1
2
3
4
5
Ecological
Physical
EconomicSocial
Institutional
1
2
3
4
5
Ecological
Physical
EconomicSocial
Institutional
1
2
3
4
5
Ecological
Physical
EconomicSocial
Institutional
D E F
Fig. 1. Level of resilience of the mountain (A), riverine (B),
urban (C), agricultural plain (D), estuarine (E) and coastal
(F) ecosystems of Infanta.
12%
8%
41%
10%
28%
1%
Forest River Floodplain Mangrove/Nipa Forest/ Estuary Ocean Other
Fig. 2. Natural asset value.
cial and institutional dimensions vary from 2.57 (low re-
silience) to 3.51 (high resilience). On the whole, overall
resilience levels in the 36 villages exhibit high levels in
the social dimension and low levels in the economic di-
mension.
With regard to community values, households place
high importance on the floodplain and ocean because of
the direct benefits derived from them (Fig. 2). On the
other hand, forest and ocean are perceived to be highly
valuable because of the provisioning, regulating and cul-
tural services that they provide (Fig. 3). On autonomous
adaptation practices, households undertake actions that
are mostly ecological, economic and social in nature.
4. Implications to Ecosystem-Based Adapta-
tion
Ecosystem-based approaches can contribute to adap-
tation actions by conserving and improving the health
of ecosystems thereby sustaining ecosystem services and
protecting societies from climate-related disasters. An
ecosystem approach can be used as a “unifying tool to
identify meaningful linkages among different scales and
different categories of hierarchy (physical systems; bio-
logical, social and organizational hierarchies)” (Johnson
et al., 1999).
In social-ecological systems, the nature and composi-
tion of adaptation measures are defined by a community’s
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Air purification
Carbon sequestration
Rainfall regulation
Storm protection and flood prevention
Natural drainage, irrigation and drought prevention
Water purification
Erosion prevention
Maintenance of soil fertility
Pest and disease control
Aesthetics and inspiration for culture, art and design
Knowledge systems and educational values
Spiritual and religious values
Sense of place
Cultural heritage values
Bequest, intrinsic and existence
Social relations
Forest River Floodplain Mangrove, Nipa Forest, Estuary Ocean
Fig. 3. Perception of value for ecosystem services.
response to conditions arising from a particular ecosys-
tem and the socio-economic driving forces surrounding it
(Jodha, 1998). By looking at ecosystems from ecologi-
cal, physical, economic, social and institutional perspec-
tives, a baseline is determined where adaptation measures
that represent the communities’ responses to the circum-
stances created by the specific character of the ecosys-
tem and the physical, economic, institutional and social
driving forces can be based upon. The resilience analy-
sis of ecosystems and mapping of community values and
actions attempted in this study provide entry points for
an ecosystem-based adaptation strategy which addresses
positive and negative factors as well as acts on gaps and
opportunities in enhancing climate resilience in Infanta.
Acknowledgements
The first author is thankful for a research scholarship grant from
the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technol-
ogy (MEXT) of the Government of Japan and support from the
Program on Sustainability/Survivability Science for a Resilient
Society Adaptable to Extreme Weather Conditions (GCOE-ARS)
of Kyoto University. The kind assistance of the Municipal Gov-
ernment of Infanta during field work is highly appreciated.
References:
[1] N. S. Jodha, “Reviving the Social System-Ecosystem Links in the
Himalayas,” In F. Berkes and C. Folke (Eds.), “Linking Social
and Ecological Systems: Management Practices and Social Mech-
anisms for Building Resilience,” pp. 285-310, Cambridge: Cam-
bridge University Press, 1998.
[2] N. C. Johnson, A. J. Malk, R. C. Szaro, and W. T. Sexton (Eds.),
“Ecological Stewardship: A Common Reference for Ecosystem
Management,” Oxford: Elsevier Science, 1999.
202 Journal of Disaster Research Vol.8 No.1, 2013