Baseline Resilience: Tracing Monsoon Adaptations in the Landscape of the Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan

This study examines how monsoon adaptations shape baseline resilience to wind, using the Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan, as a case study. While much resilience research focuses on responses to extreme events, this study sheds light on the role of daily adaptations to the northeast winter monsoons. Through mapping and archival research, we analyze spatial and temporal perspectives to understand how local communities and the government address persistent environmental pressures. The analysis of landscapes, displayed as cumulative records of adaptation, bridges the gap between the contribution of daily practices and systemic requirements for being resilient. Our findings reveal that daily adaptations and intergenerational knowledge form the foundation of resilience, we call it baseline resilience, enabling responses to both recurring monsoon challenges and typhoon events. Adaptations such as walled gardens, reinforced roofs, and windbreak forests demonstrate how long-term human-environment interactions are embedded in the landscape, shaping resilience over generations. As evolving climate scenarios predict weaker monsoons but more intense and frequent extreme typhoons, Penghu faces new challenges that require enhanced resilience strategies. This study emphasizes the importance of strengthened cooperation, and timely reinforcement of strategies to address both current and future challenges effectively.