A group of water experts has released new guidance for U.S. resource managers to expand the availability of clean water through the conservation and restoration of forests and other natural infrastructure. The publication, Natural Infrastructure: Investing in Forested Landscapes for Source Water Protection in the United States, builds on several innovative efforts across the United States and provides real world examples where water managers are saving money by investing in natural infrastructure.
“Drawing on experts that span the water and land management fields, we set out to provide a roadmap to build on the growing movement of those who champion natural infrastructure efforts in their watersheds,” said Todd Gartner, senior associate at WRI and lead editor of the publication. “This guide can be a go-to resource for water leaders across the United States.”
Led by the World Resources Institute in collaboration with Earth Economics and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, the publication outlines the economics and science of natural infrastructure investments and identifies opportunities across the country, with key lessons for program design and implementation. The publication is the most comprehensive of its kind to date, convening the expertise of 56 authors spanning the stakeholder groups that need to be involved for natural infrastructure efforts to be successful.
SIG-NAL Executive Director John Gunn is a co-editor of the publication (previously affiliated with Manomet). John also co-authored a chapter on Prioritizing Forest Management Practices with Manomet’s Ethel Wilkerson.
For more on natural infrastructure, please see:
Moore, R., Gunn, J.S., and A. Troy (2012). Valuing Maine’s Nature.
