Human/nature Relations after Tsunami: The Case of the Southern Pacific Coast View Digital Media

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Paula Villagra  

After a tsunami, human needs are varied and urgent. Most of the time, the only remaining elements are part of the natural environment such as forest, wetlands, and hilly areas. The study explores to what extent nature can satisfy survival and affective needs after a tsunami in the Chilean coast. In several focus groups we use the projective mapping technique to explore where costal inhabitants would get basic needs that arise after a tsunami, such as water, food and refuge, and affective needs such as restoration. Through GIS and content analysis we analyze the most used sites, their redundancy, and also those that satisfy a diversity of uses. The study reveals the “landscape for adaptation” or social representations of the coastal towns that satisfy people’s vital and affective needs. The landscape for adaptation is formed by natural elements and ecosystems, and extends beyond city limits. It is sometimes in conflict with land use urban planning. Findings are discussed to improve emergency and urban planning to assure human/nature positive relations after disaster, and to develop more resilient communities (Fondecyt N.1210540).