FLVAA: Addressing climate vulnerabilities through nature-based solutions

In Chautara Sangachowkgadhi Municipality, located within Nepal’s Sacred Himalayan Landscape, the impacts of climate change are visible and accelerating. Community members navigate a difficult duality, where prolonged dry spells are followed by extreme rainfall and flooding, posing severe risks and challenges.

For the 1,258 households in Ward 13 of the municipality, the stakes could not be higher. Their livelihoods depend almost entirely on agriculture and livestock, sectors that are extremely vulnerable to a changing climate. Traditional coping mechanisms have proven insufficient. Strategies that communities have relied on for generations have started to fail in the face of today’s climate reality.

RECOFTC has developed the forest landscape vulnerability assessment to action (FLVAA) approach to help bridge the gap between the identification of risks and the actuality of managing them through nature-based solutions. The approach was designed to focus on sub-landscapes—ecological and governance systems that encompass multiple communities—to identify precise, actionable responses.

Piloting the approach

Starting in 2022, the FLVAA process in Ward 13 moved methodically from initial multi-stakeholder discussions and community-level risk mapping to the implementation of prioritized nature-based solutions. The pilot began with a rigorous, participatory process. We organized multi-stakeholder meetings with local government representatives, community forest user groups, women, youth and marginalized groups.

Through these initial discussions, five communities—Bhedigoth, Bimreni, Rolpakha, Shreechhap and Tamakhani—were selected for detailed assessments based on their high exposure to climate risks. In these villages, residents engaged in historical timeline analysis, seasonal cropping calendars and hazard ranking. They combined their local knowledge with scientific data, including 30-year historical climate records and GIS land-use mapping, to create a comprehensive picture of the threats they faced.

Mobilizing for action

We employed the FLVAA approach to address the disconnect between planning and funding by integrating the assessment results directly into local governance. Climate change threats, impacts and potential adaptation measures were first identified and prioritized through participatory discussions and analyses. The findings of the assessment were then shared with ward-level stakeholders and presented at a ward-level multi-stakeholder meeting to build institutional buy-in.

Upon receiving the assessment findings, the local government committed to provide 54 per cent of the total funds required to support and scale up the prioritized nature-based solutions, with RECOFTC providing the remaining 46 per cent.

This collaboration lays solid foundations for concrete steps towards addressing the climate vulnerabilities of local communities and strengthening their resilience against future climate challenges. 

Implementing nature-based solutions

Five distinct types of solutions have been implemented, each tailored to a specific vulnerability identified by the villagers.

The most urgent issue identified by the community was water scarcity. To address this, three large water recharge ponds were constructed in Tamakhani, Bimreni and Shreechhap. Each pond has a capacity of approximately 97,000 litres. Each features dry stone walls and unpaved floors to allow natural infiltration, functioning as an ecological intervention designed to improve soil moisture across several hectares.

To address erosion and landslide threats, bioengineering techniques helped stabilize a landslide-affected area and restore a buried natural well. This intervention was implemented in Bokse, where low-cost living barriers made of bamboo and native species were installed to stabilize gullies and slopes. The resilience of these structures was tested almost immediately. When extreme rainfall and flooding hit the area during the 2023 monsoon, the treated hillsides held firm. While neighbouring untreated areas suffered landslides, the bioengineered slopes conserved 0.6 hectares of degraded land, preventing further destruction.

To address the degradation of community forests, communities planted around 800 moso bamboo seedlings in Tamakhani and Bhedigoth. This intervention also aims to create a sustainable income stream for women and low-income community members who can harvest and sell the bamboo once it is ready.

To address the high risk of forest fire, we supported strong community-based fire management interventions. By mapping forest fire risks and constructing firebreaks, the collective response capacity of the local government and community-forest user groups in Chautara Sangachowkgadhi has improved. The result has been encouraging, with no fire incidents recorded in these areas in 2025 so far.

Beyond infrastructure, we also focused on strengthening community resilience and reducing dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods. A goat-rearing support programme was launched for 57 vulnerable households, utilizing an agroforestry-based approach. The support included access to financial services, insurance, and veterinary care. The local government has committed to replicating this model, aiming to reestablish Ward 13 as a key area for goat farming.

A model for the municipality

The success of the pilot has rippled beyond the five target communities. During a joint monitoring visit, municipal leaders saw firsthand how data-driven, community-led interventions could transform a landscape.

“We look forward to building on the success of these interventions and expanding them to other sites and wards throughout the municipality,” says deputy mayor, Sita Thapa. “Chautara Sangachowkgadhi has a long history of working with RECOFTC and we look forward to continuing the collaboration.”

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Sadip Raj Pandey is communication and monitoring, evaluation and learning officer at RECOFTC Nepal.