Natural Asset Management within Atlantic Canadian Communities: Exploring Perspectives and Local Governance Processes

Abstract

A myriad of concepts, frameworks, and terms exist that are associated with ecosystem-based adaptation. Natural Asset Management (NAM) is an approach that began to advance in popularity across Canadian society in the mid 2010s; NAM appears to have recently arrived in the Atlantic Canadian provinces toward the end of the 2010s. This approach, while similar to other ecosystem services approaches, specifically integrates asset management procedures and terminology to assist practitioners with tracking and assessing the inventories, conditions, risks, and service levels of natural assets. As local government and community practitioners communicate about NAM, this concept has begun to diffuse within Atlantic Canadian society, and may have significant impacts for community planning, policy, development, conservation, and ecosystem-based adaptation to climate risks. The perspectives, practices, and communication behaviors of these governance actors are explored within this thesis to understand their experiences surrounding NAM.