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:

  • EWN Workshop Explores 3D Printing With Dredged Sediment for Nature-Inspired Infrastructure

    EWN Workshop Explores 3D Printing With Dredged Sediment for Nature-Inspired Infrastructure

    The recent Engineering With Nature® (EWN) Workshop on 3D Printing Natural Material for Nature-Inspired Infrastructure marked a significant milestone in the quest for innovative solutions for coastal resilience. Held from February 7-8, 2024, in Vicksburg, MS, the workshop brought together a diverse group of experts from government, academia, and private industry to explore the potential of 3D…

  • New Publication: Life Cycle Analysis of Natural Infrastructure Projects

    New Publication: Life Cycle Analysis of Natural Infrastructure Projects

    A team of researchers from USACE and the University of Georgia’s Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS), collaborating through the Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN), have proposed a new framework for the life cycle analysis of infrastructure projects that includes a more detailed view of project benefits and environmental impacts.

  • N-EWN Goes to Washington: National Policy Forum on Nature-based Solutions

    N-EWN Goes to Washington: National Policy Forum on Nature-based Solutions

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Leaders from public, private and governmental organizations met at the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine on February 7-8, 2024 to discuss policy and development of nature-based solutions (NbS). The first National Policy Forum was held to provide opportunities for policymakers, regulatory bodies, and practitioners to discuss the necessary policy reforms…

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