Participatory mapping and the integration of knowledge in climate change adaptation and vulnerability: Rural communities of the South Saskatchewan River Basin

Considering the forecasted vulnerability to climate change impacts on water in the Canadian prairies (Environment Canada 2004), and the potential benefits of an anticipatory planned response to climate change adaptation (Smit and Pilifosova 2003), the main purpose of this thesis is to develop a conceptual and applied integrated knowledge framework of the vulnerability of rural communities to climate change, relevant to policy development and useful to ameliorate the impacts of climate change on water resources in the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB).;The integrated knowledge framework created in this research constituted the conceptual basis for the development of a methodological approach called participatory mapping session. A participatory mapping session combines sequences of mapping presentations and small group discussions. It uses maps to support and stimulate discussion among participants. Participatory mapping sessions were applied in the rural communities of Taber, Alberta, Cabri-Stewart Valley and Outlook, Saskatchewan, in the SSRB. Participatory mapping sessions supported the development of a set of community recommendations valuable to policy-makers, in terms of climate change and water issues.;Community recommendations that directly support and enable local adaptation deserve more immediate attention by policy-makers. They are: (a) listening to and getting involved with the local government; and (b) supporting and funding of communities and people to allow change. Also relevant are: (c) cutting of crop insurance premiums and/or development of useful crop insurance; (d) increased existing utilization/construction of water storage capacity and associated irrigation operations; (e) increased funding for agricultural research and technology; and (f) funding and promotion of conservation programs. Other recommendations include: (g) long-term planning on climate change, water, and all initiatives; (h) federal support for world-wide climate change efforts; and (i) improved communication among levels of government.;The methodological approach developed in this thesis advances climate change adaptation research by: (a) achieving a more holistic understanding of the vulnerabilities and adaptive capacities of local communities to climate change; (b) empowering local community members to provide informed policy recommendations to help them adapt; and, (c) potentially support the development of responsive and more flexible policy decisions. It advances PPGIS by incorporating ethnographic research findings as the basis for applying PPGIS. It further accomplishes integration and empowerment by bringing together meaningful information and diverse knowledge perspectives.;This research modified and built upon two models: (a) the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe's (CARE) household livelihood security model; and (b) the public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) model, for integrating the multiple construction of institutional vulnerability to climate change. The resulting integrated knowledge framework of the vulnerability to climate change generated a conceptual understanding and methodological procedure that integrated: (a) multiple dimensions of information ( i.e., social, economic, biophysical) involved in climate change vulnerability; (b) multiple perceptions (i.e. , local rural community and scientists) regarding climate change vulnerability; and (c) multiple modes of inquiry (i.e., qualitative and quantitative) engaged in climate change vulnerability. Hence, the thesis provides an original contribution to the fields of climate change adaptation research and public participation geographic information systems.