ASSET MAPPING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Abstract

Economic stagnation in northeastern North Carolina places communities in this region at great risk to the effects of climate change. However, community members and organizations like The Conservation Fund are recognizing the abundant assets in the region that they can use for sustainable development initiatives that reduce poverty and vulnerability to climate change simultaneously. This project provides three tools to stakeholders interested in continuing to identify those existing assets, finding inspirational case studies of sustainable development, and evaluating opportunities in terms of economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The first tool is a broad-based inventory and web-map of community assets based on community workshops led by the Conservation Fund in 2010. The second tool is a database of successful sustainable development case studies from around the United States that were suitable for the study area because of shared characteristics between regions. The third tool is a multi-criteria analysis assessment tool that incorporates local stakeholders values obtained from electronic surveys, online media, and scientific articles. The processes of this project, as well as the database and evaluation tool can be used to pursue sustainable development in northeastern North Carolina as well other similar region.