This course serves as an introduction to the concept and considerations related to coastal restoration with a nature-based approach. The speaker is Victoria Fernandez, coastal engineer at CBCL limited in Halifax.
Protect or Retreat: Rising Seas Threaten Canada’s Atlantic and Pacific Coasts
As witnessed in recent weeks, rising seas, swollen atmospheric rivers and post-tropical storms are a threat to community infrastructure, housing and the safety of those living along Canada’s east and west coasts. In response, new guidance from the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, University of Waterloo, presents practical solutions to limit the financial and social costs of these evolving risks.
The new guidance, supported by the Standards Council of Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, and Infrastructure Canada, catalogues approaches falling under two types of coastal protection:
• Traditional Grey Infrastructure: Hard, engineered coastal protection measures, such as seawalls, dikes, and barriers; and
• Nature-Based Solutions: Measures that depend on, or mimic, natural systems to manage flood and erosion risk, such as saltmarsh restoration or replenishing beach and dune systems with sand.
Rain Garden and Depaving Projects by ACAP Saint John
ACAP Saint John has been hard at work implementing nature-based solutions in southern New Brunswick. Their latest rain garden event saw over 30 volunteers work together to create a massive rain garden of 200 square meters. They have also started a 2-year depaving project. Both projects will be key in managing storm water, improving water quality, sequestering carbon and beautifying the space for all.
Rain garden project
Depaving project
Report: Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal and Riverine Flood and Erosion Risk Management
Canadian communities and infrastructure are vulnerable to coastal and riverine flood hazards. The risks associated with coastal and river flooding are escalating as a result of development in river floodplains and coastal zones, and the effects of climate change on flood and erosion hazards. There is growing interest in the potential for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to play a role in managing these risks, owing in part to Canada’s co-leadership of the Nature-based Solutions Action Track of the Global Commission on Adaptation. Despite this increasing interest in NbS for coastal and riverine flood and erosion risk management, they remain relatively underutilized in Canada. Standards and guidelines can contribute to mainstreaming NbS by clarifying the underlying concepts and principles, raising awareness, and educating practitioners, potential project proponents, and the public.
Using nature in infrastructure projects could save US$248bn per year — study
By UNIDO, October 25, 2021
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Using nature in infrastructure projects could save US$248bn per year — study
Governments and investors could save US$248bn a year, protect the environment and benefit local communities by replacing or complementing newly built infrastructure with plants, trees and other natural alternatives, according to a first-of-its-kind study from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).
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Interactive Tool for Canadian Climate Impacts
Over the past year, the Canadian Institute for Climate Choices has been modeling what climate change could mean for Canada. We have looked specifically at climate change impacts on health – including impacts from heat, ground-level ozone, and Lyme disease – and infrastructure system impacts.
Thirsty cities need a human/nature infrastructure combo
By phys.org, October 21, 2021
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Thirsty cities need a human/nature infrastructure combo
In cities growing in both size and thirst across the globe, sustainability is constrained by the gray of dams and water treatment facilities. In this week’s Nature Sustainability, research by Michigan State University scientists advocate going green to ensure water supplies.
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Support opportunity – Natural Asset Management Course
We are happy to announce an exciting support opportunity for anyone interested in learning about natural asset management. The Royal Roads University is offering a course on natural asset management taught by Roy Brooke, Executive Director of the Municipal Natural Asset Initiative (MNAI). The course starts on November 15 and ends on December 12th 2021. It is aimed at anyone working for local governments and with them such as engineers, planners and NGO staff.
The NBEN’s BRACE project will support individuals who work in New Brunswick and are interested in taking this course . We can support a limited number of people and will operate on a first come first serve basis, so act fast!
To be considered, please send me a message at [email protected] and include a short description of your work and why you are interested in the course. Feel free to mention this opportunity to colleagues and partners.
Read more on the Natural Asset Management Course at Royal Roads University
Natural toolbox helps Gibsons and Pointe-du-Chêne plan for coastal emergencies
By David Suzuki Foundation, September 16, 2021
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Natural toolbox helps Gibsons and Pointe-du-Chêne plan for coastal emergencies
Since 2018, we have worked together with the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative to quantify the services natural assets offer, particularly those that provide flood and erosion protection from coastal storms. We also saw a need to develop and pilot a modelling tool that coastal communities could use to understand and compare alternative natural asset management solutions to rising storm surges and coastal erosion.
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