USACE Issues Memo on Nature-Based Solutions

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael L. Connor signed a memorandum providing additional guidance and direction to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on incorporating nature-based solutions – a critical tool to confront climate change while promoting community resilience – in the civil works program.

“Nature-based solutions should be incorporated as much as possible in developing our resilient infrastructure as they can produce significant benefits, including enhancing natural habitats, removing carbon from the atmosphere, making ecosystems more resilient, and lowering climate change risks for people,” said Connor.

Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage, or restore naturally functioning or modified ecosystems to address societal challenges, while simultaneously providing benefits for people and the environment. The memorandum recognizes the progress that the Corps is making in developing and using nature-based solutions in Civil Works projects and provides additional guidance and direction to continue this trend to incorporate them where appropriate.

As recognized in the memorandum, data gaps and challenges in implementing nature-based solutions remain, and the Corps is encouraged to pursue further research and analysis to address them. The intent of the memorandum is to expand the use of nature-based solutions by identifying challenges and possible solutions for implementing NBS. The memorandum applies to all Civil Works programs and missions except the Regulatory Program. A copy of the April 22 memorandum can be found here.