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Cristian Accastello
Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy

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Review
Published: 23 March 2020
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Mountain regions are affected by various natural hazards, of which gravitational mass movements are some of the most important ones. Due to the accumulation of settlements and intense economic activities in exposed areas, mountain regions such as the Alps constitute a risk hot-spot. The threat posed by gravitational natural hazards to human activities affirms the strong need for risk management, particularly for prevention. Structural measures are increasingly applied in combination with land use planning and ecosystem-based solutions. In particular, ecosystem-based solutions not only prevent the initiation of the processes but also act as a protective barrier. These green measures have been gaining an increasing attention also due to their adaptability to respond to the challenges posed by global change. Systematic reviews on how ecosystems can be used for disaster risk reduction have been carried out; however, their focus is on urban and coastal environments or on specific natural hazards such as shallow landslides. Up to now, there is no systematic review which addresses the role of ecosystems in disaster risk reduction regarding multiple gravitational natural hazards in mountain areas.

This contribution provides such a systematic review aimed at filling this knowledge gap to give a direction for future research. The review is composed of two main parts: a quantitative bibliometric analysis followed by a qualitative review. The quantitative part, based on the Scopus peer-reviewed database, aimed to investigate the publication trend on the ecosystem-based solutions for gravitational natural hazard mitigation by comparing it with the general trend of published scientific documents. The bibliometric analysis also served as a basis to select most relevant articles on which to conduct the subsequent qualitative analysis. The content of the so selected publications was analysed qualitatively the following  predefined criteria: the natural hazards addressed, the features of the ecosystem (i.e. forest species composition, management activities, effectiveness in risk mitigation), the development of alternative scenarios to test different hypothesis, the degree of stakeholder involvement, and the monetary evaluation of the measures (i.e. comparing them to structural measures). Results show a sharp increase in the number of publications on the topic from 1980 to 2018 compared to the overall number of documents published on Scopus. Although the overall topic is gaining more attention in scientific literature, the in-depth qualitative analysis revealed that research still pays little attention to stakeholder involvement and an economic evaluation of measures. We conclude that filling this research gap might help to foster a wider adoption of ecosystem-based solutions for disaster risk reduction across mountain areas.

ACS Style

Silvia Cocuccioni; Francesca Poratelli; Cristian Accastello; Stefan Steger; Stefan Schneiderbauer; Filippo Brun. Ecosystem-based solutions for gravitational natural hazard mitigation: a review on the use of protection forests for disaster risk reduction in mountain areas. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Silvia Cocuccioni, Francesca Poratelli, Cristian Accastello, Stefan Steger, Stefan Schneiderbauer, Filippo Brun. Ecosystem-based solutions for gravitational natural hazard mitigation: a review on the use of protection forests for disaster risk reduction in mountain areas. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silvia Cocuccioni; Francesca Poratelli; Cristian Accastello; Stefan Steger; Stefan Schneiderbauer; Filippo Brun. 2020. "Ecosystem-based solutions for gravitational natural hazard mitigation: a review on the use of protection forests for disaster risk reduction in mountain areas." , no. : 1.

Preprint content
Published: 23 March 2020
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The last decades have seen a higher attention payed to natural hazards due to the increasing losses and economic damages caused by them. Researchers, practitioners and local administrations studied the best way to mitigate and prevent them, using both structural and non-structural  defense techniques. Even though there are now several possible solutions to be used, it is not always easy for decision makers to choose the best option from both a technical and an economical point of view.

With the FAT tool we aimed at providing a useful mean for practitioners to help them choose between various protection options. The FAT tool is an online platform where the user, inserting a limited number of input data (e.g. slope profile, slope width, forest cover), is provided with an easily understandable output, that being a comparison of the costs and the benefits generated by different protection solutions.

The tool is built on an empirical, profile-based hazard model and deals with avalanches, rockfall and shallow landslides. The outputs of the hazard models are used to dimension and calculate the costs and benefits of several protection options and the damages avoided by those. The possible solutions considered are: ecosystem based solutions (e.g. protection forest), technical measures (e.g. snow fences, catching dams, rockfall nets), avoidance measures (e.g. road closure, building evacuation) and a combination of these. The most innovative part of the tool is the importance given to the role of the forest, and generally to the Eco-DRR solutions, on the hazard track, where a forest protection effect indicator is calculated to assess the effectiveness of a stand in mitigating the risk on the chosen profile. The outputs of the FAT tool, consisting in the index and the economic values of different alternative protection measures, can help the user identify the areas where the forests have the highest mitigation effect and choose where to allocate forest management resources.

ACS Style

Francesca Poratelli; Cristopher D'amboise; Michael Neuhauser; Cristian Accastello; Filippo Brun. FAT tool: A decision support tool for disaster risk reduction in the Alpine Space. 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Francesca Poratelli, Cristopher D'amboise, Michael Neuhauser, Cristian Accastello, Filippo Brun. FAT tool: A decision support tool for disaster risk reduction in the Alpine Space. . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Francesca Poratelli; Cristopher D'amboise; Michael Neuhauser; Cristian Accastello; Filippo Brun. 2020. "FAT tool: A decision support tool for disaster risk reduction in the Alpine Space." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 11 July 2019 in Forests
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Gravitational hazards, such as rockfall, constitute a major risk in mountainous areas, threatening dwellers, goods, and infrastructures, and ultimately posing a challenge to their development. Ecosystem-based solutions for Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR), such as protection forests, can play a significant role in mitigating these risks by integrating the protective structures currently adopted, which are often costly and could entail higher environmental impacts. This study develops an economic model called ASFORESEE (Alpine Space FORest Ecosystem Services Economic Evaluation) to assess the protective service forests provide against rockfall within a standardized framework adopting a precautionary approach. The Replacement Cost approach was adopted, measuring the protection effectiveness, the need for protection of the stakeholders and defining a harmonized method for the design of the defensive structures. Applying the model to a case study in the Italian Alps, the results show the forest has a relevant protective effect able to fulfil the stakeholders’ needs, with a value of 30,440 € ha−1, equal to 950 € ha−1 year−1, within the 25-year timespan considered. ASFORESEE could feasibly be adopted in other mountainous contexts, due to its harmonized structure reliant on minimal assumptions. Its adoption would foster the acknowledgment of the forest role and to further support the inclusion of Eco-DRR in local risk management plans.

ACS Style

Cristian Accastello; Ettore Bianchi; Simone Blanc; Filippo Brun. ASFORESEE: A Harmonized Model for Economic Evaluation of Forest Protection against Rockfall. Forests 2019, 10, 578 .

AMA Style

Cristian Accastello, Ettore Bianchi, Simone Blanc, Filippo Brun. ASFORESEE: A Harmonized Model for Economic Evaluation of Forest Protection against Rockfall. Forests. 2019; 10 (7):578.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristian Accastello; Ettore Bianchi; Simone Blanc; Filippo Brun. 2019. "ASFORESEE: A Harmonized Model for Economic Evaluation of Forest Protection against Rockfall." Forests 10, no. 7: 578.

Journal article
Published: 18 January 2019 in Sustainability
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Mountainous areas are expected to face increasing societal pressure due to mass tourism and the rising intensity and frequency of natural hazards triggered by climate change. Therefore, the development of proper strategies for the management of environmental risks will be crucial to ensure their liveability. Against this backdrop, concepts such as territorial resilience and Social–Ecological Systems (SES) can support the prioritisation of protective efforts. This paper presents a conceptual framework to be applied to areas subject to natural hazards. Its aim is to support the integration of different measures, with a special focus on protection forests and other Nature-based Solutions, into current risk management strategies. The framework considers (i) the definition of SES boundaries; (ii) the identification of the main goals to be achieved; (iii) the quantification of the supply and demand of the ecosystem protection service; and (iv) the development of risk management strategies able to include the management of protection forests among the adopted solutions. This framework is intended as a tool to be adopted by local and regional decision-makers as a tool to identify the areas at risk, to recognise the potential role of protection forests, and to operationalise the concept of resilience through the deployment of “grey-green” strategies.

ACS Style

Cristian Accastello; Simone Blanc; Filippo Brun. A Framework for the Integration of Nature-Based Solutions into Environmental Risk Management Strategies. Sustainability 2019, 11, 489 .

AMA Style

Cristian Accastello, Simone Blanc, Filippo Brun. A Framework for the Integration of Nature-Based Solutions into Environmental Risk Management Strategies. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (2):489.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristian Accastello; Simone Blanc; Filippo Brun. 2019. "A Framework for the Integration of Nature-Based Solutions into Environmental Risk Management Strategies." Sustainability 11, no. 2: 489.

Review
Published: 06 September 2018 in Ecological Economics
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Aside from the provision of food and resources, the ecosystem functions supply humanity a wide array of services. Hazard reduction is one of these, and its value for communities is gaining rising attention. In the Alpine Space, rockfall and avalanches occur frequently and cause considerable damage, but are significantly mitigated by mountain ecosystems, mainly mountain forests. How to account this service in monetary terms is a current issue and several studies were undertaken with this purpose. This literature review provides a comprehensive overview depicting a “state of the art” of economic evaluation of this ecosystem service, noting their main features, approaches and results. Currently, a common background still does not exist and different studies developed a variety of methods to be adopted, both cost and preference based. We intend this review as a contribution to the increasing awareness of forests as a cost-efficient part of natural hazard management strategies in the Alpine Space.

ACS Style

Ettore Bianchi; Cristian Accastello; Daniel Trappmann; Simone Blanc; Filippo Brun. The Economic Evaluation of Forest Protection Service Against Rockfall: A Review of Experiences and Approaches. Ecological Economics 2018, 154, 409 -418.

AMA Style

Ettore Bianchi, Cristian Accastello, Daniel Trappmann, Simone Blanc, Filippo Brun. The Economic Evaluation of Forest Protection Service Against Rockfall: A Review of Experiences and Approaches. Ecological Economics. 2018; 154 ():409-418.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ettore Bianchi; Cristian Accastello; Daniel Trappmann; Simone Blanc; Filippo Brun. 2018. "The Economic Evaluation of Forest Protection Service Against Rockfall: A Review of Experiences and Approaches." Ecological Economics 154, no. : 409-418.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2018 in Forest Policy and Economics
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In the Piedmont region, in North-West Italy, the abundance of unmanaged woods has led to negative environmental and economic consequences, generating a decrease in the ecosystem services supplied and in the provision of low-value timber products. In this context, increased logging activities could create new development opportunities for the rural areas in which most of the abandoned stands are situated. This work analyses a forest harvest by creating a model to evaluate its timber value. The economic results were analysed to investigate the structural and logistic factors influencing the profitability of a harvest. The results obtained revealed that a small profit margin is achievable for small local logging companies, even if strongly influenced by the hourly costs of labourers. To quantify the influence of each factor of the model on the timber value, a sensitivity analysis was performed. Then, to test the robustness of the results a Monte Carlo simulation was carried out simultaneously varying the factors involved. Finally, a scenario analysis was performed, in which the standard conditions referring to the most common private forest company typologies were examined. Overall, these methods were found to be suitable for our aims and capable of supplying important results to analyse a forest harvest from an economic perspective.

ACS Style

Cristian Accastello; Simone Blanc; Angela Mosso; Filippo Brun. Assessing the timber value: A case study in the Italian Alps. Forest Policy and Economics 2018, 93, 36 -44.

AMA Style

Cristian Accastello, Simone Blanc, Angela Mosso, Filippo Brun. Assessing the timber value: A case study in the Italian Alps. Forest Policy and Economics. 2018; 93 ():36-44.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristian Accastello; Simone Blanc; Angela Mosso; Filippo Brun. 2018. "Assessing the timber value: A case study in the Italian Alps." Forest Policy and Economics 93, no. : 36-44.

Original article
Published: 06 July 2018 in Journal of Sustainable Forestry
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Fossil fuel consumption in recent decades has caused the rise of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, with negative consequences on the environment and human health. This study develops a methodological framework to quantify carbon credits from carbon-oriented forest management and evaluates the economic sustainability of their sale. Application of the framework to two forest compartments with long-lasting active management in the Western Italian Alps showed the feasibility of the methodology and provided insights on its replication in other contexts. Particularly, the Carbon-oriented scenario led to a reduction of both the extracted wood volume (10% and 6.5% CASE1 and CASE2, respectively) and Net Present Value (32% and 29%), leading to a carbon credit price of 19.6 € MgCO2eq−1​ and 44.1 € MgCO2eq−1 to counteract these losses. This work allows us to highlight the factors needed to design and evaluate alternative forest management options while considering the consequences of climate change. Moreover, the hypothesized scenarios include an economic remuneration of the positive externalities provided by sustainable forest management. Finally, the proposed workflow entails undeniable environmental benefits while contrasting climate change but still looks undesirable with respect to the traditional timber-oriented management in compartments where high-quality wood products can be obtained.

ACS Style

Simone Blanc; Cristian Accastello; Ettore Bianchi; Federico Lingua; Giorgio Vacchiano; Angela Mosso; Filippo Brun. An integrated approach to assess carbon credit from improved forest management. Journal of Sustainable Forestry 2018, 38, 31 -45.

AMA Style

Simone Blanc, Cristian Accastello, Ettore Bianchi, Federico Lingua, Giorgio Vacchiano, Angela Mosso, Filippo Brun. An integrated approach to assess carbon credit from improved forest management. Journal of Sustainable Forestry. 2018; 38 (1):31-45.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Simone Blanc; Cristian Accastello; Ettore Bianchi; Federico Lingua; Giorgio Vacchiano; Angela Mosso; Filippo Brun. 2018. "An integrated approach to assess carbon credit from improved forest management." Journal of Sustainable Forestry 38, no. 1: 31-45.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2017 in Land Use Policy
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ACS Style

Cristian Accastello; Filippo Brun; Enrico Borgogno-Mondino. A Spatial-Based Decision Support System for wood harvesting management in mountain areas. Land Use Policy 2017, 67, 277 -287.

AMA Style

Cristian Accastello, Filippo Brun, Enrico Borgogno-Mondino. A Spatial-Based Decision Support System for wood harvesting management in mountain areas. Land Use Policy. 2017; 67 ():277-287.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristian Accastello; Filippo Brun; Enrico Borgogno-Mondino. 2017. "A Spatial-Based Decision Support System for wood harvesting management in mountain areas." Land Use Policy 67, no. : 277-287.