“Buoyancy, flexibility, toughness, elasticity. The capacity to adapt to change. The capability to absorb shocks to the system without losing the ability to function. The aptitude to thrive in turbulence. A form of creative resistance to adversity. These are defining characteristics of resilience. Scientists have long understood that the possibility of resilience is inherent in the natural world. More recently, they have documented ecosystems that have the capacity to respond to disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly.If the possibility of resilience is inherent in nature, is it not inherent in us? How, then, can we recognize and cultivate resilience in human communities?”

A sample of the speakers and key points from the Resilient Communities Roundtable July 18–20, 2012