Beyond the Monolith: The Role of Bonding, Bridging, and Linking Social Capital in the Cycle of Adaptive Capacity

A case-study approach was used to understand the role of social capital in the cycle of adaptive capacity in three rural, forest communities in Washington State. The study reveals social capital to be a critical ingredient in the resolution of diverse community development events. The findings enhance our understanding of the impacts of social capital on community outcomes by dividing the concept into three types-bonding, bridging, and linking social capital. Social capital does not translate linearly into community outcomes. Generally, community members stressed the importance of bridging social capital to achieve community-wide desired outcomes. Yet strong bridging social capital had no potency when linking social capital with key power brokers was absent. Finally, the case-study approach reveals how social capital is created and can be built up or depleted. The findings are applicable to community development practitioners, rural community leaders, and public land managers that interface with forest communities.