Get to know N-EWN

A community of researchers, practitioners, and educators working together to advance the practice of natural infrastructure.

We work across four main branches

In order to help facilitate the widespread adoption of natural infrastructure practices across the United States, we’ve identified four main areas that need additional work:

Developing methods and standards

New tools, techniques and guidance are needed to effectively plan, design, construct and operate natural infrastructure at different scales

Assessing benefits and costs

Natural infrastructure provides communities with a broad array of economic, environmental and social benefits. Improved approaches are needed to evaluate, quantify and forecast these benefits to support planning and decision making

Monitoring performance and outcomes

Technically sound, efficient and applicable methods are needed to track natural infrastructure performance over time, develop the evidence base for future designs, ensure compliance with policy and inform project operations and adaptive management

Integrating people and policy

Providing infrastructure that supports human wellbeing and equitably meets the needs of diverse communities requires integration of human values, attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and policies with modern communication and collaboration practices


Combining a diversity of on-the-ground experience with interdisciplinary teams.

The N-EWN community is made up of over 30 partners from industry, academia and the non-profit sector.

What N-EWN’s been up to:

  • Cross-Cutting N-EWN Research Seminar

    Cross-Cutting N-EWN Research Seminar

    Recently, researchers from across the Network for Engineering With Nature met for our monthly Research Seminar, which provides opportunities for members from all organizations to share ideas and stay up-to-date on the latest research in the field. At our most recent meeting we had 45 participants from Network partners ranging from the New York City…

  • Dr. Marshall Shepherd wins 2022 Faculty Achievement Award for University of Georgia

    Dr. Marshall Shepherd wins 2022 Faculty Achievement Award for University of Georgia

    Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor, recently won the 2022 Faculty Achievement Award for the University of Georgia. As the SEC puts it, “A leading international weather-climate expert, Dr. Shepherd is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the only…

  • Precision conservation saves time, money–and species

    Precision conservation saves time, money–and species

    A tiny, rainbow-finned fish lives in the swiftly flowing waters of Georgia’s Etowah River. Known as the Etowah darter (Etheostoma etowahae), it exists only in the Etowah River Basin, mainly inhabiting the mountain streams of North Georgia. The Etowah darter is only one example of the diverse array of freshwater fish, amphibians, crawfish and mussels…

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