Reef Resilience: Building Resilience into Coral Reef Conservation

Social and Economic Resources

To manage for resilience, it is critical to consider the various social and economic conditions of a particular place.  Here are some recent documents and other resources related to socio-economic issues related to MPA and coral reef management.  For an excellent summary of the Global Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative for Coastal Management, see the SOCMON site. 

• Livelihoods Approach as a Conservation Tool
  This document explores alternative livelihoods and their relation to conservation and development work, while ultimately recommending a “sustainable livelihoods approach.” Information about how to approach development of a sustainable livelihoods strategy are highlighted here. Common misconceptions about the livelihoods approach are discussed, as well as some examples practitioners are pursuing in different regions of the world.
• Fact Sheet on Livelihoods Approach as Conservation Tool
  This is a short format introduction to the use of sustainable livelihoods as a complimentary strategy to MPAs and other coastal resource management. The document briefly highlights assumptions made, examples of livelihood projects, the value of using this strategy, as well as helpful definitions. This document is meant to be used as a communication tool that leads the reader to dive deeper into the main document which is longer and more detailed.
• Nature's Investment Bank: How Marine Protected Areas Contribute To Poverty Reduction
  This study is one of the first to empirically analyze the link between biodiversity conservation initiatives and poverty reduction. A video is also available.
• The Resilience Alliance Workbooks
  The Resilience Alliance has developed workbooks that guide practitioners through a series of exercises to help them better understand their systems (socially and ecologically) and options for management action within a resilience framework.
• Social Resilience Literature Review
  The members of the USAID-sponsored MPA Networks Learning Partnership assembled this literature review to better understand the new field of social resilience. This review is a good place to begin for those interested in diving deeper into the subject.