About the presenter:
James is the Geomatics Manager at the Southeast Regional Service Commission (SERSC) in New Brunswick. His team uses a wide-range of technology to provides maps, spatial analysis, and science-based information in support of land-use planning and related services such as asset management and recreation. James holds a B.Sc. in Geomatics Engineering and an M.Sc. in Forestry. He began his career working on academic research projects related to climate change adaptation and flooding, and water, forest and wildlife management. James regularly collaborates with community, academic and NGO groups and is on the steering committee of the NB Climate Change Adaptation Collaborative, and a founding member of the Maritime Natural Infrastructure Collaborative.
Presentation abstract:
In this presentation James will discuss two pilots that the SERSC recently completed with the Municipal Natural Assets Initiative. Through these pilots, natural assets in the New Brunswick municipalities of Riverview and Riverside-Albert were considered as assets, they same way as built infrastructure. In Riverview, wetlands and forests were assessed for stormwater management, and in Riverside-Albert, forests were assessed for water treatment and supply. In both pilots, natural assets were found to be essential parts in providing municipal services now and in the future considering climate change, and that it would cost at least $2.2 M to replace their services with built infrastructure.