Forest Growth and Maintenance

Needs Address

Integration of DRR with CCA approaches 

Adaptation effects

• Enhances resilience to climatic disasters such as flooding and landslides by providing a physical barrier and changing the geographical dynamics of an area
• Provides resources for local communities for disaster response and for construction of other disaster prevention infrastructure, housing, livelihoods resources and adaptation activities

Overview and Features

Forests can reduce exposure to flood hazards, provide protection for people and property and also provide resources to aid response and recovery. In comparison to grasslands, forests can reduce runoff through their enhanced interception, infiltration and storage capacities in the case for small and medium catchment areas. 

Cost

• Costs for seedlings initially
• Maintenance costs

Energy source

Human resources for planting, management and maintenance

Ease of maintenance

Continuous maintenance and management necessary, including maintenance of stakeholder relationships and protection of trees from logging or land clearance activities

Technology performance

Some disputes about the extent to which forests help in the case of larger scale disasters and expansive basin areas

Considerations

• Forest management demands collaboration among multiple stakeholder groups with differing priorities, who are entwined in complex power structures
• Appropriate legislations and policies are needed to support effective management

Co-benefit, suitability for developing countries

• Increased coping ability of marginalised and poor groups
• Carbon sequestration co-benefits
• Conserves and enhances  biological diversity
• Provides income opportunities for local communities
• Dependent on land tenure as to whether forests can be planted and maintained
• Provides economic and livelihood opportunities for local populations
• Management can be difficult due to different perspectives and conflicting immediate needs
• Public participation in forest management decision is critical to sustainable management

Information Resources

Broadhead, J. 2012. Forestry and Natural Disasters: Theory and practice in Asia and the Pacific. Available at: http://www.rinya.maff.go.jp/j/kaigai/pdf/8_jeremy_broadhead.pdf [05 January 2015]

FAO, 2013. Forests and natural disaster risk reduction in Asia and the Pacific. FAO. Available at: http://www.cid.org.nz/assets/Key-issues/Enviroclimate-change/2013-Forest-and-natural-disaster-risk-reduction.pdf [05 January 2015]

UNESCAP, 2013. Building Resilience to Natural Disasters and Major Economic Crises. Available at: http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/ThemeStudy2013-full2.pdf [20 March 2015]