Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions: How can landscape planning and governance research contribute?

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Christian Albert
  • Barbara Schröter
  • Dagmar Haase
  • Mario Brillinger
  • Jennifer Henze
  • Sylvia Herrmann
  • Sarah Gottwald
  • Paulina Guerrero
  • Claire Nicolas
  • Bettina Matzdorf

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
  • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin)
  • Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)12-21
Number of pages10
JournalLandscape and urban planning
Volume182
Early online date16 Oct 2018
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2019

Abstract

Nature-based solutions (NBS) in river landscapes, such as restoring floodplains, can not only decrease flood risks for downstream communities but also provide co-benefits in terms of habitat creation for numerous species and enhanced delivery of diverse ecosystem services. This paper aims to explore how landscape planning and governance research can contribute to the identification, design and implementation of NBS, using the example of water-related challenges in the landscape of the Lahn river in Germany. The objectives are (i) to introduce the NBS concept and to provide a concise definition for application in planning research, (ii) to explore how landscape planning and governance research might support a targeted use and implementation of NBS, and (iii) to propose an agenda for further research and practical experimentation. Our methods include a focused literature review and conceptual framework development. We define NBS as actions that alleviate a well-defined societal challenge (challenge-orientation), employ ecosystem processes of spatial, blue and green infrastructure networks (ecosystem processes utilization), and are embedded within viable governance or business models for implementation (practical viability). Our conceptual framework illustrates the functions of NBS in social-ecological landscape systems, and highlights the complementary contributions of landscape planning and governance research in developing and implementing NBS. Finally, a research and experimentation agenda is proposed, focusing on knowledge gaps in the effectiveness of NBS, useful approaches for informed co-design of NBS, and options for implementation. Insights from this paper can guide further studies and support testing of the NBS concept in practice.

Keywords

    Ecosystem services, Integrated water resources management, River landscapes, Social–ecological research, Sustainability science, Water governance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions: How can landscape planning and governance research contribute? / Albert, Christian; Schröter, Barbara; Haase, Dagmar et al.
In: Landscape and urban planning, Vol. 182, 02.2019, p. 12-21.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Albert, C, Schröter, B, Haase, D, Brillinger, M, Henze, J, Herrmann, S, Gottwald, S, Guerrero, P, Nicolas, C & Matzdorf, B 2019, 'Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions: How can landscape planning and governance research contribute?', Landscape and urban planning, vol. 182, pp. 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.10.003
Albert, C., Schröter, B., Haase, D., Brillinger, M., Henze, J., Herrmann, S., Gottwald, S., Guerrero, P., Nicolas, C., & Matzdorf, B. (2019). Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions: How can landscape planning and governance research contribute? Landscape and urban planning, 182, 12-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.10.003
Albert C, Schröter B, Haase D, Brillinger M, Henze J, Herrmann S et al. Addressing societal challenges through nature-based solutions: How can landscape planning and governance research contribute? Landscape and urban planning. 2019 Feb;182:12-21. Epub 2018 Oct 16. doi: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2018.10.003
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abstract = "Nature-based solutions (NBS) in river landscapes, such as restoring floodplains, can not only decrease flood risks for downstream communities but also provide co-benefits in terms of habitat creation for numerous species and enhanced delivery of diverse ecosystem services. This paper aims to explore how landscape planning and governance research can contribute to the identification, design and implementation of NBS, using the example of water-related challenges in the landscape of the Lahn river in Germany. The objectives are (i) to introduce the NBS concept and to provide a concise definition for application in planning research, (ii) to explore how landscape planning and governance research might support a targeted use and implementation of NBS, and (iii) to propose an agenda for further research and practical experimentation. Our methods include a focused literature review and conceptual framework development. We define NBS as actions that alleviate a well-defined societal challenge (challenge-orientation), employ ecosystem processes of spatial, blue and green infrastructure networks (ecosystem processes utilization), and are embedded within viable governance or business models for implementation (practical viability). Our conceptual framework illustrates the functions of NBS in social-ecological landscape systems, and highlights the complementary contributions of landscape planning and governance research in developing and implementing NBS. Finally, a research and experimentation agenda is proposed, focusing on knowledge gaps in the effectiveness of NBS, useful approaches for informed co-design of NBS, and options for implementation. Insights from this paper can guide further studies and support testing of the NBS concept in practice.",
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T2 - How can landscape planning and governance research contribute?

AU - Albert, Christian

AU - Schröter, Barbara

AU - Haase, Dagmar

AU - Brillinger, Mario

AU - Henze, Jennifer

AU - Herrmann, Sylvia

AU - Gottwald, Sarah

AU - Guerrero, Paulina

AU - Nicolas, Claire

AU - Matzdorf, Bettina

N1 - Funding Information: For this approach becoming reality, some support for planning and governance is necessary. This is done by the interdisciplinary PlanSmart research group ( www.plansmart.info ) (supported by a research grant from the German Ministry of Education and Research BMBF), which, in collaboration with the Integrated EU LIFE Project “Living Lahn” ( www.lila-livinglahn.de ), provides scientifically sound decision-support to design strategies for sustainable development of the Lahn river landscape with a particular focus on NBS. PlanSmart collaborates closely with experts, decision-makers, stakeholders and citizens in the Lahn region to co-identify alternative river landscape development scenarios, to explore their respective implications, and suggest innovative implementation concepts and funding strategies. In particular, PlanSmart provides empirical evidence of the ecological, social and economic effects of scenarios (including NBS options) and explores suitable governance and business models for implementation.

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