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Date Permissions Signed
4-19-2011
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Environmental Studies
First Advisor
Berardi, Gigi M.
Second Advisor
Paci-Green, Rebekah
Third Advisor
Bach, Andrew J.
Abstract
Agriculture plays an important role in Western Washington's culture, economy, and environment. However, agriculture as it has been practiced over its 150-year history in the region is currently threatened by several changes differing in severity and onset speed. This thesis examines the adaptation of farmers to the changing system in which they are situated by exploring how they view vulnerability and threat; what strategies they suggest might aid in adaptation; and how farmers situate themselves and their operations within larger socio-ecological systems. I derive my data from disaster planning workshops in which farmers from each of three counties participated in facilitated discussion identifying threats, potential thresholds to irreversible change, and suggested adaptive strategies to counter perceived threats. I find that although the skill set required to successfully farm theoretically involves a great deal of resilience and adaptability, farmers' notions of resilience and adaptation hinge on stability and predictability, characteristics theoretically differing from resilience. Further research on the apparent conflict between desired stability and the development of resilience in agricultural systems might help in understanding the origin and nature of the apparent conflict and steps that may resolve it.
Type
Text
DOI
https://doi.org/10.25710/79hp-1437
Publisher
Western Washington University
OCLC Number
729390797
Subject – LCSH
Farmers--Washington (State), Western--Attitudes; Agricultural industries--Washington (State), Western--Management; Resilience (Personality trait)--Washington (State), Western
Geographic Coverage
Washington (State), Western
Format
application/pdf
Genre/Form
masters theses
Language
English
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this thesis for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Recommended Citation
Hammond, Bryant, "Developing a resilience framework to analyze farmer perspectives on threat and vulnerability to catastrophic events in Western Washington State" (2011). WWU Graduate School Collection. 113.
https://cedar.wwu.edu/wwuet/113