Nature-based solutions (NbS): A management paradigm shift in practitioners' perspectives on riverbank soil...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Ecological Restoration
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Nature-based Solutions (NbS), such as soil bioengineering, offer ecological and economic benefits for riverbank stabilization.
• Despite advantages over traditional civil engineering, NbS are underutilized in urban riverbank protection.
• This study examines practitioners' perspectives on implementing NbS in urban riverine environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the paradigm shift required for adopting soil bioengineering techniques in urban riverbank protection.
• To understand the challenges and requirements from practitioners' viewpoints.
• To identify factors influencing the broader implementation of NbS.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research involving interviews with 17 practitioners in the Rhone Alps basin, France.
• Focus on practitioners' experiences with soil bioengineering for urban riverbank control.
• Analysis of the shift from a "predict and control" to an "adaptive management" paradigm.

Main Results:

• Adopting soil bioengineering necessitates a move from "predict and control" to "adaptive management."
• Key shifts include redefining engineering performance (ecological/social dimensions), reconsidering risk perception and acceptance, and developing new practitioner soft skills and collective organization.
• Three main reasons identified for this paradigm shift.

Conclusions:

• Broader adoption of NbS requires systematic assessment of multifaceted benefits (ecological, economic, social).
• Improving risk acceptance and sharing among stakeholders is crucial.
• Fostering social learning and collective feedback among practitioners is essential for wider NbS implementation.