Community of Practice on Nature-based Solutions meets to advance Forest Landscape Restoration in the Western Balkans

This meeting focuses on strengthening practical skills for applying the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions™ (Version 2) and advancing development of the WB6 Forest Landscape Restoration Plan (FLR) in line with Action 39 of the Revised Green Agenda for the Western Balkans (GAWB) Action Plan. Throughout the workshop, participants explore how the NbS Global Standard guides the design, governance, and implementation of effective NbS interventions. The NbS Self-Assessment Tool plays a central role in the learning process, helping participants work through real-world examples and reflect on opportunities and challenges across diverse ecological and socioeconomic contexts in the region. 

A key feature of this gathering is its strong link to regional policy processes. The third meeting directly contributes to the implementation of Action 39 of the Action Plan of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, which prioritises forest landscape restoration as a strategic approach for climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. The final day of the workshop centres on a structured consultation process that supports the development of the Western Balkans Six (WB6) Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) Plan. Participants review the proposed approach, discuss regional challenges, opportunities and enabling conditions for forest landscape restoration, and share insights that help shape the next phase of plan development. This input contributes to a coordinated regional effort to restore degraded forest landscapes, strengthen capacities of ecosystems to provide ecosystem services, and support sustainable rural development. 

“By convening practitioners from across the region, we are strengthening the collective capacity to design and implement effective Nature‑based Solutions that support both people and nature. The Community of Practice provides an important platform for translating technical expertise into actionable guidance, helping to shape coherent regional approaches to forest landscape restoration,” noted Liubov Timofeeva, Nature‑based Solutions Programme Officer, IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECARO). She added that “the insights shared here directly inform the WB6 Forest Landscape Restoration planning process and contribute to a more coordinated, evidence‑based pathway toward a resilient and nature‑positive Western Balkans.” 

The Community of Practice on NbS continues to grow since its establishment under the ADAPT 2.0 initiative. Co-convened by IUCN ECARO and the EU4Green initiative, the CoP offers a collaborative space where non-profit organisations, academia and independent experts improve and exchange knowledge, share practical experiences, and build partnerships. The inaugural meeting in Skopje in March 2025 marked the starting point of this regional dialogue to explore NbS priorities and learn from successful case studies across the Western Balkans. The platform plays an important role in strengthening policy integration by helping institutions embed NbS principles into climate, biodiversity, land, and water management frameworks. It also supports efforts to expand access to financing for NbS implementation and scaling. By connecting practitioners across borders and sectors, the CoP fosters cooperation, shared leadership, and a collective sense of purpose in advancing nature‑based approaches across the region. 

The third CoP meeting reaffirms the region’s commitment to advancing Nature-based Solutions as a pathway to climate resilience, ecological restoration, and sustainable development. As the WB6 Forest Landscape Restoration Plan takes shape, the CoP continues to play an important role in mobilising expertise, strengthening cooperation, and supporting governments and stakeholders in building a more resilient, nature-positive future for the Western Balkans.