Forests as nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction

Forests in mountain areas play a key role in disaster risk reduction. They can reduce the probability or intensity of natural hazards such as floods, snow avalanches, rockfall, and landslides, thus providing an essential ecosystem service to mountain communities and reducing the costs for technical protection measures. As extreme events become increasingly frequent under climate change, the importance of forests as nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction is gaining critical recognition. However, significant knowledge gaps remain about optimal forest management strategies for disaster risk reduction, especially under rapidly changing environmental conditions. This session aims to gather and provide knowledge on protective forests from mountain regions worldwide. We welcome contributions across a variety of mountain ranges, spatial scales, and perspectives, including: – Studies that assess or model the effect of forests on natural hazard risks – Economic and other evaluations of the value of forests’ protective services – Historical and future pathways of the development of protective forests – Case studies or syntheses on the management and/or governance of protective forests as nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction – Management approaches and decision support tools to strengthen forests’ capacity for natural hazard risk reduction We particularly encourage contributions from underrepresented regions. Session participants will be invited to participate in a synthesis study on the management and governance of protective forests.