By: Leonardo Valente, Masatsugu Takamatsu, Brenden Jongman, Gonzalo Gutierrez Goizueta
Mountains play a crucial role in protecting downstream communities. However, when degraded, these areas increase risks of soil erosion, landslides and mudflows that threaten lives and infrastructure. Traditionally, protective measures have focused on downstream interventions like embankments or diversions. Today, nature-based solutions (NBS) are changing this paradigm. For instance, Austria designates over 60% of its forest as protective, guarding communities against hazards like avalanches, landslides, and rockfalls.
In September 2024, experts and government representatives from Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) from Disaster Risk Management, Environment, and Transport sectors gathered in Innsbruck, Austria, to explore NBS through a Technical Deep Dive (TDD) workshop. Organized by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BfW), the event highlighted NBS strategies for some of the world's most vulnerable mountain regions.
The workshop addressed the limits of traditional (grey) infrastructure, which often struggles against natural hazards in mountainous regions. Experts discussed issues such as floods, erosion, landslides, mudslides, and avalanches, drawing parallels between the Alps and CAC regions. Through technical presentations and interactive sessions, attendees saw how NBS can effectively address these challenges while providing additional benefits to communities and ecosystems.
Photo: World Bank
A highlight of the TDD was a field visit to Nordkette, a mountain range near Innsbruck with a stunning view, where protective forests have been designed to manage avalanche risks. Excursions to Absamer Vorberg and Sellrain Valley also demonstrated successful reforestation, soil restoration, and bio-engineering efforts in areas previously affected by forest fires and debris flows. Participants observed how these solutions are tailored to local conditions, supported by extensive monitoring to understand their effectiveness and make improvements.
Key Insights for Implementation
The workshop revealed several crucial insights for successful NBS implementation in mountainous regions.
1. Data-driven strategies
Investing in comprehensive risk and hazard mapping, coupled with effective monitoring is crucial for more strategic planning and implementation of NBS projects. Reliable and long-term monitoring data ensures that NBS interventions are both targeted, effective, and sustainable.
2. Protective forests and hybrid solutions
Protecting and restoring forests emerged as a cornerstone strategy for reducing mountain hazards. Additionally, hybrid interventions, combining natural and engineered solutions, proved effective for flood risk reduction, and sustainable grassland management was highlighted as crucial for maintaining soil health, preventing erosion, and supporting afforestation efforts.
3. Cross-sector collaboration
Coordinating across regions within a common landscape or watershed and among sectors — including transport, environment, urban, disaster risk management, and agriculture — is essential for both implementation and long-term success. Government support for O&M also fosters sustainable NBS projects. This collaborative approach ensures that NBS are integrated into broader development strategies and receive sustained support.
4. Financial and policy support
Long-term investment and supportive polices are vital for implementing NBS, particularly in areas prone to severe hazards. Furthermore, decentralized decision-making and budget allocation could allow for more responsive and regionally tailored approaches to addressing mountain hazards through NBS.
Photo: World Bank
The workshop has sparked significant interest among CAC countries in incorporating NBS into their development plans. “Most of them are pretty applicable to Georgian cases” said Ioseb Kinkladze from Georgia’s National Environment Agency on the NBSs he saw in the TDD for direct solutions back home. In Uzbekistan, concrete next steps have been already discussed to incorporate NBSs into their existing and potential project operations. The event fostered valuable connections for ongoing knowledge exchange, building a clear roadmap for implementing NBS toward resilient mountain and downstream communities.
Photo: World Bank
A warm thank you to the Bundesministerium für Finanzen (Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.