Prioritizing reforestation with kewiña (Polylepis subtusalbida) to reduce landslide risk in the Bolivian Andes

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an evaluation on the potential stabilizing effect of reforestation with the aim of reducing susceptibility to landslides. The study was conducted on the southern slope of Tunari Park in Cochabamba, Bolivia, with a focus on native kewiña trees (Polylepis subtusalbida). The results indicate that as the depth of the soil zone with kewiña roots increases from 0 to 0.75 meters, the factor of safety against landslides increases by up to 5% for a given slope angle. The increase in the factor of safety because of tree roots indicates a lower susceptibility to landslides.