Posts

In 1938, Murray Park in Alford was dismissed by farmers as "sponty" (boggy) land. Today, that same "liability" is a critical Nature-based Solution protecting the town from floods and storing carbon. In my latest blog post for the COEVOLVERS project, I explore how we can move beyond seeing nature as just infrastructure and instead view it as a living partner in our community history. Read the full analysis of this "Living Water System" here: [Link] #COEVOLVERS #NatureBasedSolutions #SocialScience #HorizonEurope #ClimateResilience

Explore the volunteering paradox: why online volunteering growth masks a crisis in hands-on environmental stewardship. Learn how funding cuts create infrastructure collapse in UK green spaces.

The question isn’t whether AI will replace researchers—it’s whether researchers are AI fit to keep pace with constantly evolving tools and updates. Transitional vulnerability happens when change outstrips our ability to adapt.

Climate change has made Scottish winters warmer and less predictable, leading to the closure of many traditional open-air curling ponds that once brought communities together. Scotland has lost almost all of its historic 2,000+ outdoor curling sites, largely because erratic freeze patterns now make safe ice rare. These closures reflect the vulnerability of cherished local traditions, as well as social and ecological loss, demanding urgent adaptation within rural and sports communities.

Spending three years in Scotland highlighted how a community’s approach to green spaces reveals broader pressures like funding limits, climate adaptation, and changing demographics. Transitional vulnerability—fragility during uncertain change—emerges not from single shocks, but from compounded, ambiguous challenges. Research finds poorer areas suffer most when maintenance declines, impacting those most reliant on free public space. Yet, targeted local actions, as described by Prigogine, can shift broader system outcomes. The crucial task for leaders is structuring community capacity during transitions, treating green spaces as essential investments to foster resilience rather than expendable luxuries.

When we relocated to Scotland, one of my biggest concerns was how my daughter would cope with so much change. Bringing our pets along turned out to be more than a family decision, they became transitional objects, companions that gave her (and us) comfort and stability in a new environment. This personal experience inspired me to think about how people, communities, and even ecosystems need supports during times of disruption. In my latest short reel, I explore transitional vulnerabilities and how small interventions, like bird boxes or shelters can act as “transitional objects” for nature.

From village roots to metro dreams—what does it really take for Eastern Cape youth to thrive at university? Leaving behind the familiar, journeys packed with hope, discover the invisible hurdles that Eastern Cape students from Xhosa communities face as they navigate big city universities. From culture shock to financial pressures, technology gaps to homesickness, their stories remind us: education is not just about books, but bridging worlds.

Many academic skilled workers face growing uncertainty as job eligibility, salary thresholds, and transition protections tighten on the path to Indefinite Leave to Remain. This article breaks down the latest policy changes, highlights who’s at risk, and explains how SOC codes and salary discounts impact careers in higher education, plus what institutions and individuals must do to secure their future in UK academia. hashtag#SkilledVisa hashtag#UK hashtag#Academic hashtag#TransitionalVulnerability

Human connection to nature has fallen by 60% in just 200 years. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a vulnerability. A recent Guardian article shows that urbanisation, biodiversity loss, and the breakdown of intergenerational relationships with the land have left many communities less resilient to ecological and social shocks.

This paper introduces a transitional vulnerability framework for rethinking Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in the context of escalating climate, ecological, and social crises. Moving beyond the technocratic view of NBS as universally beneficial, it frames transitions as layered, non-linear, and power-laden processes shaped by historical injustices, governance structures, and entangled human–nature relationships. The framework identifies four interlinked layers—structural and environmental conditions, biophysical–ecological and socio-institutional dynamics, negotiated processes of change, and contingent futures—emphasising that NBS outcomes can range from inclusive adaptation to exclusion and elite capture. By recognising multiple timelines, feedback loops, and the contested nature of transformation, it calls for reflexive, participatory, and adaptive approaches that acknowledge inequality, embrace conflict, and design NBS with humility and justice at their core.

In agriculture, change is constant — from shifting markets and climate pressures to new regulations — but it’s the “in-between” moments, when systems are in flux and outcomes uncertain, that create what I call transitional vulnerability: a heightened exposure to risk as rules change, power dynamics surface, and capacity gaps widen. Drawing on my research with emerging ostrich farmers in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, I saw how some turned these challenges into opportunities through cooperatives, diversification, and local networks, while others were left behind when support faded. Recognising transitional vulnerability early can turn instability into a springboard for inclusive governance, future-ready capacity-building, and resilient, equitable systems.

South Africa’s citrus sector faces a quadruple hit this August—steep new US tariffs, cancelled shipping lines, competitor dumping, and the unforgiving timing of peak harvest and contract commitments. This blog unpacks the industry’s transitional vulnerability and strategies for resilience.