Exploring those characteristics which may help to foster and support people’s social-ecological resilience: an environmental volunteering case study

Abstract

Engaging in environmental community-based practices such as environmental volunteering has been shown to offer a range of benefits, including social connectivity. There has been a growth in studies exploring the potential impact of people engaging in environmental community-based practices has on the resilience of social-ecological systems. However, these studies have not fully explored those characteristics environmental volunteering groups undertake which can help to promote and support the resilience of social-ecological systems. This study provides further understanding about social-ecological resilience and examines how environmental volunteering has the potential to promote and strengthen the resilience of social-ecological systems. This is explored through the lens of four characteristics regarded as key attributes fostering resilience in social-ecological systems using focus group interviews: activity, self-organisation, connections and skills and knowledge. The study is reported from the perspective of 13 local community groups in Greater London (UK) who engaged in environmental volunteering as a case study. Findings show there to be variability in these characteristics explored amongst local community groups, providing further contextual insight into how these local community groups operate. By exploring these characteristics, groups were able to understand how they operate, knowledge which can then be used to enhance their future activities to help strengthen the resilience of social-ecological systems.