Research and development around Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and related practices like Natural Infrastructure and Ecosystem-based Adaptation is surging worldwide. Governments in Europe, the United Kingdom, and United States are emphasizing the role that ecosystems play in helping people manage water, avoid risks like floods and droughts, and stay safe from intensifying storms and heat waves. As artificial, managed, or hybrid ecosystems, these Nature-based Solutions support communities made up of interacting species. Because of this, they are frequently touted as “win-wins” for people and nature. But are they really a “win” for nature?
Researchers from the WWL are collaborating with colleagues from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Development and Research Center (USACE ERDC), UGA IRIS, The Nature Conservancy, and others to assess whether and how contemporary NbS can support biodiversity. Furthermore, we are investigating pathways for measuring and increasing the biodiversity benefits of NbS and other infrastructure for a nature-positive approach.
Publications
van Rees, C.B., Hernández-Abrams, D., Shudtz, M., et al. 2023. Re-imagining Infrastructure for a Biodiverse Future. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120(46): e2214334120.
McKay, S.K., Wenger, S.J., van Rees, C.B., Bledsoe, B.P., and Bridges, T.S. 2023. Jointly advancing infrastructure and biodiversity conservation. Nature Reviews Earth and Environment 4: 675-677.
van Rees, C.B., Jumani, S., Abera, L., Rack, L., McKay, S.K., and Wenger, S.J. 2023. The potential for nature-based solutions to combat the freshwater biodiversity crisis. PLoS Water 2(6): e0000126.
van Rees, C.B., Naslund, L., Hernandez-Abrams, D.D., McKay, S.K., Woodson, C.B., Rosemond, A., McFall, B., Altman, S., and Wenger, S.J. 2022. A Holistic Monitoring Approach for Natural Infrastructure. Science of the Total Environment 832: 155078.
Funding
