24-25 January 2023. The Engineering With Nature (EWN) initiative held a workshop in the USACE Chicago District to initiate the three-year development of specific guidance and protocols for incorporating natural and nature-based features (NNBF) on the Great Lakes. The workshop gathered 95 participants, 35 in-person and 60 remotely, from USACE Lakes and Rivers Division, Buffalo and Chicago Districts, and other Great Lakes stakeholders. During breakout sessions, participants answered questions about priorities, existing resources, how to measure success, tradeoffs, and barriers to implementing NNBF. The ultimate product will be the Great Lakes NNBF Playbook.
This new guidance for incorporating NNBF specifically on the Great Lakes will inform the overall Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study (GLCRS) and expand the application of nature-based solutions (NBS).
Learn more about the Great Lakes NNBF Playbook.
Meeting Resources
Workshop Assignments
Survey123 Link
Prior to the workshop, a survey was developed to capture existing or ongoing efforts in the Great Lakes region. Results will be added to EWN ProMap.
Workbook
Attendees were asked to document their thoughts throughout the breakout sessions. Submissions should be emailed to workshop POCs.
Presentations
- Engineering with Nature (EWN) for Great Lakes Coastal Systems – Application to NNBF and development of the Playbook – King/Suedel
- EWN Project Ideas Handbook – A Review of Process, Tools, and Lessons Learned – Ram Mohan (Anchor QEA), Sean Burkholder (DRC/U. Penn)
- Overview of USACE Work with Linkages to EWN – Josh Unghire (Buffalo), Samantha Belcik (Chicago), Jim Selegean (Detroit)
- Overview of EWN/NNBF projects around the Great Lakes (Survey 123 output) – Joe Miller
- Discussion of EWN/NNBF project ideas – All (Ram Mohan & Sean Burkholder facilitates)
- Applied Research to Guide Engineering with Nature on the Great Lakes – Enda Murphy/Scott Baker, NRC Canada
- What Does Successful EWN in the Great Lakes Look Like? – Brian Majka, GEI
- Examples of Nature-Based Solutions in Ohio; Regional Approaches – Projects, Education and Training – Scudder Mackey/Debi Beck, ODNR
- Nature-based Shorelines on Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Coasts – Adam Bechle, U Wisconsin
- A Perspective on Great Lakes EWN – Craig Taylor, LimnoTech
- Advancing Nature-based Solutions in the Great Lakes – Becky Nicodemus, NOAA
Use or reproduction of any slides/graphics or portions of figures etc. found herein shall contain an acknowledgment of the author/institution and be by permission of the author.
