Community engagement

Resilient scars maps

The community engagement program “Resilient scars maps” was developed in collaboration with Pro(to)topia in the context of my artwork Lament, and realised for the first time in a Portuguese municipality affected by devastating extreme wildfires.

Resilient scars maps aims to involve communities to foster healing and process collective environmental trauma, such as in the case of extreme wildfires. While material reconstruction may have taken place already, the psycological impact of such events may linger for years and thus affect present and future livelihood. Céline Charveriat and I collaborated with forestry researchers, environmental engineers, firefighters, and a psychologist specialised in extreme wildfires to create a program that is accessible and affrordable. It was realised for the first time in in Santa Comba Dão (PT), a municipality affected by the devastating fires of 2017, which burnt a surface of approximately 300 000 hectars in one day.

Its methods combine elements of sensory mapping techniques and research on eco-grief (grief linked to ecological loss linked to eco-crisis) and solastalgia (the distress produced by the disruption of home environment).

During four days, we engaged with the local firefighters unit, women leaders, local representatives, shop owners, students, and other citizens who wished to share their experience in moments of communal remembrance. Visits to significant places of the fire, conversations, and co-creation with residents made space for their experience of the event, but also resilience and healing.

View of the “Resilient scars map” created with community members of Santa Comba Dão. The black canvas is filled with personal experiences of the extreme Prtuguese wildfires of 2017, such as photographs of burning houses, personal items, and local plants. The map illustrates plan of the city with key landmarks of the area highlighted. Blue and red yarn mark the spread of the fire, as well as the rivers present in the municipality.

The artistic co-creation featured simple materials (a canvas, yarns, pencils, plant leaves, written notes) but interweaves scientific and local ecological knowledge about wildfires and ecosystems. It overlaps satellite images of the trace left by the fire (‘fire scar’) with memories and emotions linked to the event. What emerges is a 2,6 x 4 m “Resilient scars map”, which is owned by the community: it premiered with my artwork, then returned to Portugual.

We will soon publish an open-access toolkit to share insights and methods. The research is ongoing, informed by the latest findings. If you are interested in collaborating, please get in touch.

You can read what our partners CoLAB ForestWISE wrote about the experience here.

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Installation view of Lament, a transdisciplinary artwork. A white surface with neatly arranged mounds of dark soil. Above them, a hundred hanging glass sculptures create a suspended landscape. In the background, a “Resilient scars map,” a canvas marking personal stories of community members in Santa Comba Dão who experienced devastating wildfire in 2017.

Detail of the Resilient scars map, a canvas of local communal memory. Developed through Lament, an artwork that explores human-nature relationship, vulnerability, resilience and recovery. Contemplating the recovery after extreme wildfires, the artworkopens up a space to express grief and solastalgia.

Detail of the Resilient scars map. The map is a result of a community engagement program designed to offer space for mourning and possibly learn about trauma, recovery and resilience of communities affected by wildfires.

Community engagement credits:
Céline Charveriat / Pro(to)topia: concept and direction
Margherita Pevere: concept and artistic direction
Conceição Colaço / CEABN InBIO, School of Agriculture (ISA), University of Lisbon (UL): scientific advisor and project overview, partnership coordination
Brigite Botequim / CoLAB ForestWISE: Partnership coordination and resource supporter
André Mota / Santa Comba Dão Fire fighters: on-site support
Madalena Ferreira / CoLAB ForestWISE: on-site mediation
Letícia Oliviera / CEABN InBIO, ISA-UL: documentation
Tania Ricardo / Municipality of Santa Comba Dão: psychological support
With the hospitality of the municipality and the voluntary firefighters of Santa Comba Dão (PT), and the kind participation of its citizens.
Realised with the support of NaturArchy – Resonances Project at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, School of Agriculture (ISA) – University of Lisbon, CoLAB ForestWISE and FIRE RES – Innovative Technologies & socio-ecological-economic solutions for fire resilient territories in Europe.
The name “Resilient scars maps” honours the voice of the participants in Santa Comba Dão, who chose it as title for their canvas.