FS 3.189: NbS in protected areas: an opportunity to improve management pratices?

Nature-based solutions (NbS) aim to protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems to address societal challenges, while supporting human well-being and biodiversity. International environmental policies highlight their role for preserving and valuing biodiversity by providing multiple environmental, economic and social benefits. As such, they are promising instruments for reducing trade-offs and increasing synergies between human activities and protected areas. In spite of this, and because of their recent emergence in science and policy, NbS are rarely mentioned explicitly in planning documents of protected areas whilst they have a strong potential to combine biodiversity conservation, inclusion of local communities and to support their environmental, economic and social needs. In reality mountain protected areas comprise many NbS like sustainable grazing of natural pastures, multifunctional community forest management, slope stabilisation, or restoration and protection of peatbogs, wetlands and lakes. Furthermore, protected area managers are often not familiar with the NbS concept and need a better understanding of the benefits and risks of their implementation. This session will explore the characteristics of NbS in mountain protected areas and their potential for reconciling biodiversity conservation and human activities. It will investigate how to scale up the recognition and implementation of NbS in mountain protected areas by building knowledge among actors, networking initiatives and lifting key social, economic and political barriers. We welcome all interventions on these topics. particularly case studies.