Nature Based Solutions
Working in the stream restoration field can be a challenging endeavor. Often the most frustrating challenges are the non-technical. What is the “right” thing to do? What is natural? What is best for the system? What is feasible? What is cost-effective? Will it work… these are the questions that contain more nebulous answers, up for interpretation or even opinion.
The Nature Based Solutions (NbS) movement offers a more defensible argument towards natural restoration projects and solutions than the simple opinion of “it’s the right thing to do”. Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) NbS is defined as actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits. Essentially NbS takes a far wider view of restoration than an improved width to depth ratio, for example.
I recently came across a flyer from the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and Deltares: Investing in Nature to Build Resilience: The economic rationale of Nature-based Solutions in Europe's rivers and wetlands that addresses the total economic cost and benefit of restoration. This was the initial spark into my dive into the NbS movement. This case study looked at these wider reaching benefits of restoration and quantified them in economic terms: carbon sequestration, educational opportunities, recreation, health benefits, even timber production.
It’s incredibly exciting to frame river restoration in this wider context, with consideration of all the primary, secondary, and tertiary benefits of a natural based restoration approach. The idea of NbS is gaining steam in the industry with increased papers, guidelines, and reports. I certainly have more research, reading, and investigation to do on this topic. It will take time for these concepts to trickle into implementation, but the primary take-aways are truly exciting.
When considering green versus grey infrastructure there are far more economic variables than project implementation and maintenance. Aspects of NbS include storing carbon to mitigate climate change, maintaining areas of vegetation to protect against higher temperatures, preventing further climate-driven increases in storm severity and frequency and the providing of a range of other services, such as pollination and treatment of pollution. In essence, NbS are an ecological approach to climate change action, whilst also enhancing the resilience of natural and managed ecosystems and the human settlements that adjoin them. (UNEP, 2020).
Managing the ecosystem in conjunction with human civilization and the backdrop of climate change threat is a complicated and interwoven topic. There are always trade-offs and competing goals and objectives. However, these actions should be viewed holistically and at a timescale. What is the trade-off between a concrete lined channel and a natural living river? I believe that viewing through the NbS prism can better help us answer that question.
References:
United Nations Environment Programme (2020). The Economics of Nature-based Solutions: Current Status and Future Priorities. United Nations Environment Programme Nairobi.
