Prepared and flexible: Local adaptation strategies for avalanche risk

Figures & data

Figure 1. Map showing the case areas and avalanche proneness

Table 1. Summary of research methods and interviews

Methods	Senjahopen	Holmbuktura	Tromsø
Individual semi-structured and open-ended interviews	11	14	1
Group interviews	7	0	1
Scoping interviews conducted at town meeting			1

Table 2. Examples of how social capital manifest in the two case communities

Social capital aspects	Senjahopen area	Holmbuktura area
Social networks	Reliance on friends and neighbors for assistance and support. By knowing everyone in the community, people also know whom to rely on: “Everybody knows everybody”	Reliance on friends and neighbors for assistance and support
	Facilitate quick dissemination about road closures	Have developed collaborative/private arrangements for spending the night or distribution of food. “You are well received in someone’s house if you are unable to go back home”
		Facilitate quick dissemination about road closures
Trust	Trust in the experts/ people who make decisions about road closures is generally high. Such trust limits economic losses for fish producers. Trust in shared information	Trust in community members and in shared information. But low confidence in current safety measures (road closures)
Place attachment	Appreciation and acceptance of particularly challenging conditions. It is worth the risk to live in this area. Commonly expressed as “We know where we live”	Described as a safe place with fantastic landscapes, and a place that provides a sense of freedom. This makes living there worthwhile
Engaged individuals	Local industries, local politicians and engaged individuals work to alleviate the impacts of road closures. Such individuals are also found in the work place such as in health care, to ensure flexible workhours	Jøvik Development Association and engaged individuals work to alleviate the impacts of road closures. Flexible and creative solutions at the nursing homes ensure that people are safe and taken care of
Local and experiential knowledge	People know exactly when the road will be closed signifying ability to predict, and evaluate the situation. Highly relevant to transportation services. Climate change adds uncertainties to weather predictions	Residents observe the mountainside and monitor weather conditions to evaluate the safety. Relevant for individual residents, services and businesses. Inherently uncertain and unpredictable, but people are used to living with uncertainty
Risk perceptions	“We know where we live” narrative displaying acceptance for road closures, but also seen as problem for certain groups and businesses. Residents avoid travel out of the area during avalanche season, and hesitate in inviting guests and family	Exposure to avalanche risk seen as intolerable by many due the potential for fatal outcomes. Affect social life in that people do not travel and relatives and friends cannot visit
		But, resilience to infrastructure disruption is emphasized