Sustainable development of coastal infrastructure poses both challenges and opportunities when addressing climate-related hazards. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and others tackling such challenges must plan, design, and implement innovative approaches to engineering and operating infrastructure.  Advancing coastal infrastructure practice involves identifying actions that can better align and integrate engineering and natural systems to produce more socially acceptable, economically viable and sustainable projects. Engineering With Nature® (EWN®) is a USACE initiative that supports more sustainable practices, projects, and outcomes by working to intentionally align natural and engineering processes to efficiently and sustainably deliver economic, environmental and social benefits through collaborative processes.  EWN can add value to a project by including additional features and functions, improving the use of nature and nature-based infrastructure, and reducing maintenance by utilizing natural processes. When implemented, it allows to adapt management practices, leads to innovative multi-purpose solutions, and promotes designs that stabilize coastal features for improving community and infrastructure resilience.  EWN also offers opportunities when repairing, modifying, or replacing aging infrastructure in coastal environments.  Altogether, EWN can and should play a role in enhancing coastal resilience using natural infrastructure.

Primary Presenter: Burton Suedel, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (burton.suedel@usace.army.mil)

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