Nature-based Solutions

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Drivers Of Change

Linking Ecosystems and Sustainability

Consumers and investors are increasingly demanding more sustainable actions from the corporations they support. As a result an unprecedented and historic opportunity is being created to restore and enhance natural ecosystems at a landscape scale. With focus on a broad range of functions that ecosystems provide, nature-based solutions offer our best opportunity to realize sustainability, improve the natural world, and offset the impacts from ever increasing development pressures.

Nature-Based Solutions

Pre-project

Pre-project

Implementation

Implementation

Post-project

Post-project

Ecosystems are areas where living organisms interact with the physical environment to create and sustain life. Healthy, natural ecosystems support biodiversity as well as provide valuable benefits to human communities. Damage to one part of an ecosystem can have negative effects on other ecosystems as well as the human environment.

Nature-based solutions are methods that achieve environmental and sustainability goals through the restoration, enhancement, and preservation of natural ecosystems. The challenge is quantifying the ecological and human benefits of applying nature-based solutions in a range of ecosystems.

Nature-based Solutions Infographic

Nature-Based Solution Assessment Tool (NaBSAT)

Ecosystem Planning and Restoration (EPR) is a national leader in quantifying the uplift of restoration and enhancement activities in aquatic and terrestrial environments by using a nature-based solutions assessment tool (NaBSAT). The NaBSAT quantifies uplift from nature-based solution projects into five themes:

  1. Water Quantity
  2. Water Quality
  3. Air Quality
  4. Biodiversity and Habitat
  5. Socio-Economics

The NaBSAT is modular in design, allowing for adaptation and expansion to evaluate additional parameters and methods. The Tool can also be applied at different tiers of detail, allowing for rapid, preliminary project evaluations and more advanced assessments.

Nature-based Solutions Concept Chart
Nature-based Solutions Concept Chart

Tier 1 Evaluation (Concept Level)

  • GIS (desktop-based)
  • Rapid, preliminary estimations

Tier 2 Evaluation (Ground-Truth Level)

  • GIS/desktop assessments
  • Rapid field assessments
  • Increased accuracy for estimations

Tier 3 Evaluation (Detailed Level)

  • Detailed field assessments
  • Most accurate estimations

Meaningful Metrics Matter

Meaningful Metrics Matter Infographic 1 of 2
Meaningful Metrics Matter Infographic 2 of 2

Transparent Change

Transparent Change Infographic

As companies develop sustainability plans to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), nature-based solutions will become increasingly important. Whereas past sustainability efforts have focused on specific component goals (such as carbon sequestration, or reducing concentrations of a specific pollutant), the Nature-Based Solutions Assessment Tool calculates and documents many more functions and ecosystem improvements that are provided from restoration and enhancement projects. The Tool can be used to compare and contrast individual project opportunities, establish specific goals for nature-based solution projects, perform cost-benefit analyses, provide clear and transparent documentation of project benefits, and track long-term progress towards SDG goals.