This presentation is part of the Nature Based Solutions Organized Session.The Great Lakes shorelines have seen increased damages in recent years from flooding and erosion due to historically high lake levels, severe storms, and climate change. Cities are on the frontlines facing these issues and the most vulnerable communities often have even fewer resources to address them. This presentation will provide an overview of two programs that provide direct technical support to municipalities in the Great Lakes region. The two programs are the
Initiative for Resilient Great Lakes Coasts, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, and funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative's
Resilient Coastal Projects Initiative, funded in large part through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Both programs engage with a cohort of communities to advance their coastal resilience projects and build local capacity for incorporating nature-based solutions into coastal hazard mitigation. This talk will share the program models and municipal engagement approach, and include a discussion of some of the challenges and opportunities identified thus far as this work continues. The program leads and partners will present engineered designs of innovative nature-based solutions with multiple co-benefits.
