INSTRUCTORS: 
Kyle McKay, Ph.D., P.E.
Tamara Jameson, P.E.
Candice Piercy, Ph.D., P.E.

Purpose and Background

Nature-based solutions (NbS) hold great promise as techniques for addressing multiple crises related to aging infrastructure, biodiversity decline, and climate adaptation. Generally speaking, these solutions use natural processes to provide infrastructure outcomes while also including environmental and social co-benefits. The Fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Programme adopted a multilaterally agreed upon definition as (UNEP 2022): “actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, which address social, economic, and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits”. The term NbS is evolving and is often used as an umbrella term for natural infrastructure (NI) or green infrastructure, ecosystem-based adaptation, and ‘Natural and Nature Based Features’. Civil engineering has a rich history of nature-based project examples that predate the use of modern terminology. This webinar will review the historical context for natural infrastructure, familiarize participants with terminology and motivations, and demonstrate the utility of NbS through case studies.

This techsession will only award PDHs for completion if the course is taken OnDemand.

Learning outcomes and session benefits

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe how conventional infrastructure and natural infrastructure can be integrated to do the right project and do the project right.
• Identify opportunities for expanding acceptance and deployment of natural infrastructure.
• Apply information learned through case studies to improve technical understanding of natural infrastructure projects, processes, and benefits.
• Identify recent guidelines on natural infrastructure including the USACE International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-based Features.

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes are assessed and achieved through participation in the live Q/A with our speakers, and by responding to the post- session survey. If the course is taken OnDemand, there will also be a 10 multiple choice question post-test.

Who Should Attend?

• Engineers
• Landscape Architects
• Planners
• Designers
• Project Owners

View Important Policies and System Requirements for this course