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:

  • Latest EWN podcast is out! Featuring N-EWN researchers Marshall Shepherd and Safra Altman

    Latest EWN podcast is out! Featuring N-EWN researchers Marshall Shepherd and Safra Altman

    In 2020, the United States experienced extreme droughts, wildfires, flooding, and a record number of hurricanes. What if there was a better way to monitor and prepare for these natural events, and how could an Engineering With Nature (EWN) approach add value to “the climate change imperative?” That’s what we’re exploring in this episode with…

  • Rod Lammers Presents N-EWN Research at National Conference

    Rod Lammers Presents N-EWN Research at National Conference

    Last week, N-EWN researcher Dr. Rod Lammers presented his research as part of the N-EWN initiative at the 20th Annual Meeting of the American Ecological Engineering Society. His presentation featured work by himself, Dr. Matthew Chambers, Dr. Matthew V. Bilskie and Dr. Brian P. Bledsoe, and was titled “Engineering With Nature: Using levee setbacks to…

  • Research Highlight with Dr. Matt Bilskie

    Research Highlight with Dr. Matt Bilskie

    Fighting Flooding As flood hazards and risks increase over time due to climate change and increased development in flood zones, N-EWN researchers seek new ways to both predict future flood risks and address those risks through new technologies. University of Georgia researcher at the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, Dr. Matthew V. Bilskie, is working…

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