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From Community Benefits to Vulnerabilities: Reverse-Logic Analysis of Nature-Based Solution Treescapes Across Europe.
Timothy Pittaway1, Leanne Townsend1, Claire Hardy1
1Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences (SEGS), The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK.
Summary
Nature-based solutions (NBSs) using trees offer community benefits by addressing socio-ecological vulnerabilities. Different European regions show distinct patterns, with Mediterranean NBSs tackling heat and drought, while Alpine NBSs focus on hazard reduction.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Urban Planning
- Public Health
Background:
- Nature-based solutions (NBSs) involving trees provide multiple community benefits.
- Limited evidence exists linking these benefits to specific socio-ecological vulnerabilities.
- Treescape interventions require tailored approaches based on regional contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize metadata from European treescape NBS case studies.
- To identify community benefit themes and map them spatially across bioregions.
- To link observed NBS benefits to underlying socio-ecological vulnerabilities.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review using adapted PRISMA guidelines identified 131 European treescape NBS case studies.
- Reverse-logic, thematic qualitative analysis was applied to synthesized metadata.
- Community benefit themes were categorized and spatially mapped across eight biogeographical regions.
Main Results:
- Eleven principal community benefit categories were identified.
- Region-specific patterns emerged: Mediterranean NBSs addressed extreme heat/drought; Alpine NBSs focused on slope stability/hazard reduction.
- Continental and Atlantic regions emphasized social cohesion, recreation, and cultural heritage preservation.
Conclusions:
- The reverse-logic methodology effectively identified socio-ecological vulnerabilities by analyzing benefit profiles.
- This approach offers evidence-based guidance for designing location-sensitive treescape NBS.
- Findings provide a methodological foundation for assessing NBS effectiveness and refining interventions to enhance adaptive capacity.
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