Rural communities are more vulnerable to climate change shocks and stresses due to community-based vulnerabilities associated with low and ageing populations, out-migration of youth, less funding distribution, and less access to skill based human resources. As a result of these vulnerabilities, the ability for the local governments to adequately prepare rural communities for the impacts of climate change is limited, contributing to reduced resilience. To address these vulnerabilities nature-based solutions and trade-offs have been examined to understand the scope in which they can be used to increase resilience in the context of rural communities. 

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Odessa is a second-yeat grad student in the School of Resource and Environmental Management program at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC. Odessa previously working as a land use planner in Southern Alberta for 3 years and has an undergraduate degree in Community Design from Dalhousie University. Professionally Odessa is interested in complete communities, community sustainability, and engaging with communities and stakeholders to collaboratively address climate change in rural communities. Upon completion of her graduate degree, Odessa plans to find work in local government in rural BC working on adaptation and mitigation of climate change through polucy development and planning.