How people of the past were able to adapt to a changing climate has been a subject of recent discourse. Theories of resilience to changing food security is discussed by Costello et al for the adaptation to the Little Ice Age in 1250–1750 as cattle mortality rose instances of warfare and elite-led cattle raids also rose as a response (Costello 2023, 82). A model for resilience in food economies by Lancelotti et al theories that the model relies on three components; environment, economy and social resources (2016, 10). The resilience model here seems to relate to the social issues of the Little Ice Age as the climate became cooler, the pastoral economy of cattle became more important and created social consequences. As the reliance on one food source was too unstable the cultivation of cereals in addition to cattle was maintained as previously discussed in ‘Vegetation and Land use Change’ from examples of pollen analysis in the central Highlands.
Looking forward to current and future areas of resilience, the first phase of a GALLANT study utilised the River Clyde to explore community resilience to flooding (Gambell & Bonner 2022). The study was carried out through a walking methodology surveying the river edge between the Clyde Tidal Weir and the Cunningar Loop. The aim of the study was to enhance SEPA’s future flood maps with additional layers to represent community risk and resilience (Gambell & Bonner 2022, 9). The technique of ‘deep mapping’ draws out relationships between people and places through identifying place-making qualities within projected flood areas can create a plan to protect important spaces with social, cultural, economic and infrastructural importance. While the historic environment was taken into consideration as place-making, the data obtained was only those that are legally protected such as Scheduled Monuments, Garden and Designed Landscapes, Listed Buildings and World Heritage Sites. It is an oversight to not include all monuments within the historic environment record to embody place-making ability, but it is hoped through community engagement sites which are unprotected are highlighted and included. The recommendations from the first phase of works were to create better communication to the public on flooding in ways which would not cause fear or panic, take more multidisciplinary approach and to assess risk not solely on impacts on residential property but on other factors which create a sense of place and community importance.