MainDB: The protective capacity of forests against snow avalanches
Title:
The protective capacity of forests against snow avalanches
NWPWeblink:
NWPTypeOfOrganization:
NWPGeographicRegion:
Europe
Scope of work:
NWPMandatesandFrameworks:
NWPModalityApproachandMechanism:
NWPEffortsToAddressSOE:
NWPRelevantStakeholders:
NWPFocusonNElossesFlag:
NWPImpactAreas:
NWPOutputs:
Good practices and lessons learned:
The economic benefits of ecosystem services are increasingly being quantified due to their impacts on hazard risk reduction. In Switzerland, for example, the benefits of protected forests are estimated between USD 2 to 3.5 billion per year.
NWPGapsChallenges:
Date of submission:
Abbreviation:
Activities:
The Swiss government recognised that over-exploitation of trees was leading to serious avalanches, landslides and flooding and introduced a rigorous system of protection and restoration. Legislation recognises the protective function of its forests, and private and public landowners are incentivized to manage forests to provide protection from natural hazards, rather than for commercial timber production. This includes managing stands to help protect against rockfall, landslides, and avalanches and restoration of previously degraded areas.
Adaptation element:
Adaptation planning and practices; Capacity building
Adaptation sector/theme:
Agriculture; Ecosystems; Biodiversity; Ecosystem-based adaptation
Climate hazard:
Country:
Switzerland
NWPDataSource:
EbA
Description:
For many years, Switzerland has recognised the protective function of the forests in reducing the risk to people from avalanches and landslides, and designed management practices to enhance the resilience of the forests. With the effects of climate change in the European Alps expected to include increased erosion, landslides, avalanches, and flooding, the forests are expected to play an ongoing role in disaster prevention in the region.
Expected outcome:
Further information:
NWPGeographicScope:
National
Indicators of achievement:
NWPInformationType:
Case study
NWPJoinDate:
NWPPartner:
Purpose:
Regional group:
Target group:
NWPWorkStream:
NWP
NWPYear:
NWPOutcome:
17 percent of Swiss forests in the Alpine region are managed mainly for their protective function. By emphasizing the role of forests in disaster prevention within the Swiss forest policy at federal and local levels, the Government has prioritized certain ecosystem services at the expense of others (e.g. timber production).
NWPPartners:
Type of knowledge resource:
Scale of work:
NWPSlowOnsetEvents:
NWPReferences:
ProAct Network (2008). The Role of Environmental Management and eco-engineering in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation:
https://www.unisdr.org/files/4148_em.report.annex1.pdf
Dudley et al (2010); Natural Solutions: Protected areas helping people cope with climate change, IUCN, WCPA, TNC, UNDP, WCS, The World Bank and WWF, Gland, Switzerland, Washington DC and New York, USA:
https://www.iucn.org/content/natural-solutions-protected-areas-helping-people-cope-climate-change
Implementing partners:
NWPYearPublication:
NWPUpdate:
SourceItemID:
NWPSecendaryEmail:
NWPPrimaryEmail:
NWPTypeOfKnowledge:
NWPCountryItem:
NWPRelevantWeblinks:
Created at 21/04/2016 10:39 by Roberto Felix
Last modified at 16/05/2022 19:04 by Nicholas Hamp-Adams
Go back to list
Home(NWPStaging)