The U.S. Global Change Research Program has announced the chapter leadership teams for the first-ever National Nature Assessment (NNA1). The NNA1 will take a holistic approach to better understand the role of nature in the lives of people across the country, integrating science with traditional ways of knowing and the needs of communities. The Assessment will evaluate what nature provides people through its inherent value, contribution to human well-being, the economy, cultural heritage, national security and more—and looks ahead to understand how these benefits might change under future conditions. The NNA1 is expected to be released in 2026.
The NNA1 will include 11 chapters, each examining existing relationships between nature and its provisions as well as challenges and opportunities for working with nature in the future. Our partners from the University of Georgia and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working together on the chapter titled Nature and the Safety & Security of the U.S.
The Chapter Lead for this section is Dr. Todd Bridges, Professor of Practice in Resilient and Sustainable Systems at UGA’s College of Engineering. Each chapter has a Federal Coordinating Lead Author, as well as several co-authors to help research and organize the chapter. The FCLA for this chapter is Dr. Safra Altman from the Engineer Research and Development Center’s Environmental Laboratory (ERDC EL). She is joined by Drs. Kyle McKay and Margaret Kurth.
“It’s an honor to serve the country in this role, and it’s also daunting,” said Bridges. “The services and benefits that Nature provides to people and our communities are foundational to our society. Communicating the importance of our relationship to nature in the NNA is an awesome undertaking.”
“The depth and breadth of our chapter leadership team is remarkable. We are incredibly fortunate to have the expertise, experience, and leadership of these recognized thought leaders for America’s first-ever National Nature Assessment,” said NNA1 Director Phil Levin.
The NNA will undergo public comment, Tribal Consultation, and other Indigenous engagements. An outline is expected in August 2024, with the first draft slated for release in fall 2025. Learn more about the NNA1 and the leads for each chapter here.
Featured image (top) by Tim Mossholder via Pexels.com
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