We are thrilled to announce the completion of the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments Regional Resilience Plan, a collaborative effort with the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments (SWC), led by Fernleaf and supported by ESP Associates and UNC Asheville’s NEMAC.

Using the NOAA’s Steps to Resilience Framework, the project was completed in two phases:

• Phase 1: Fernleaf led a stakeholder workshop to identify vulnerabilities and strengths across the seven-county region, resulting in a preliminary report.
• Phase 2: A detailed assessment analyzed regional threats such as flooding, landslides, and wildfires. These findings were integrated into Fernleaf’s Acceladapt platform, an interactive tool for future planning efforts.

The final report provides in-depth hazard descriptions, assessment results, and actionable recommendations to enhance regional resilience. With this plan, SWC is well-positioned to support member governments throughout the region.