Nature-based solutions integrate natural features and processes into disaster risk reduction, creating sustainable and cost-effective ways to protect people and property. From restoring wetlands to planting urban trees, these solutions protect communities from natural hazards while offering co-benefits like cleaner air, cooler cities and healthy ecosystems.
Why Nature-Based Solutions?
The Fifth National Climate Assessment defines nature-based solutions as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.”
Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and intensity. Nature-based solutions provide a proven way to:
- Reduce Risk: Protect communities from flooding, erosion, extreme heat and other hazards.
- Save Costs: Deliver long-term cost savings by reducing damage and enhancing community resilience.
- Enhance Communities: Improve quality of life with green spaces and ecosystem services.
Explore funding available from FEMA to support communities in leveraging these solutions for a safer future.
Nature-Based Solutions in Action by Scale
Watershed or Landscape-Scale Practices
Watershed and landscape-scale nature-based solutions work across larger areas to build interconnected systems of natural spaces that provide critical ecosystem services and enhance resilience. These practices require long-term planning, coordination and significant land area.
- Examples: Land conservation, habitat restoration, greenways, and forest restoration.
- Benefits: These solutions help mitigate flooding, improve water quality, support biodiversity and enhance carbon sequestration. They also contribute to wildfire prevention and drought resilience by preserving water storage and natural firebreaks.
Neighborhood or Site-Scale Practices
Neighborhood or site-scale nature-based solutions manage stormwater and reduce urban heat island effects within a more confined area. New or existing developments within limited space can integrate these practices into empty lots, rights-of-way, parks or residential or commercial properties, making them adaptable to urban environments.
- Examples: Permeable pavement, tree trenches, green roofs, and rain gardens.
- Benefits: These solutions reduce stormwater runoff, lower temperatures, improve air quality and enhance community livability. They are particularly effective in mitigating the impacts of extreme heat, urban flooding, and air pollution.
Coastal Practices
Coastal nature-based solutions can stabilize shorelines, reduce erosion, and buffer coastal areas from the impacts of storms, sea level rise and flooding. While many watershed and neighborhood-scale practices are applicable in coastal regions, these specialized systems are designed to address the unique challenges faced by coastal communities.
- Examples: Coastal wetlands restoration, dune rebuilding, living shorelines and mangrove restoration.
- Benefits: These practices help protect infrastructure from storm surge, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity and provide critical habitat for wildlife. They also support resilience to extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and coastal erosion.
Review all types of nature-based practices in action by scale.
Get Started with Nature-Based Solutions
FEMA Resources and Guides
Guide for Local Communities
The first guide provides foundational information on the benefits associated with using nature-based solutions to advance natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation.
Strategies for Success
The second guide builds upon the first and highlights five key strategies for implementing successful nature-based solution projects to advance natural hazard mitigation and climate adaptation. These strategies include building strong partnerships, engaging the whole community, matching project size with desired goals and benefits, maximizing benefits, and designing for the future.
Implementation Strategies in Floodplains and Wetlands
This resource highlights how nature-based solutions fit into the 8-step decision-making process for floodplain management and wetlands protection; types of nature-based solutions for use in floodplains and wetlands; FEMA Federal Flood Risk Management Standard nature-based solutions requirements; and scenarios that depict how nature-based solutions can be incorporated into recovery and mitigation projects in a floodplain or wetland.
Nature-Based Solutions Fact Sheet
This resource highlights how nature-based solutions fit into the 8-step decision-making process for floodplain management and wetlands protection; types of nature-based solutions for use in floodplains and wetlands; FEMA Federal Flood Risk Management Standard nature-based solutions requirements; and scenarios that depict how nature-based solutions can be incorporated into recovery and mitigation projects in a floodplain or wetland.
Federal Resources and Tools
The guide contains 30 examples of ways that federal agencies have used nature-based solutions to achieve their goals. The diverse set of examples demonstrates that nature-based solutions can provide many different benefits. Additionally, this guide contains a summary and 177 links to federal knowledge resources, tools, guidance, and technical assistance on nature-based solutions.
The guide contains 30 examples of ways that federal agencies have used nature-based solutions to achieve their goals. The diverse set of examples demonstrates that nature-based solutions can provide many different benefits.
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. In joining the Partnership, FEMA reinforces its commitment to protecting vital landscapes that not only support American environments, but also serve as a natural defense against disasters.
Building nature-based solutions requires governmental and non-governmental organizations to work together.
FEMA has grant programs dedicated to restoring community infrastructure, increasing resilience and reducing risk. An approved mitigation plan is required to apply for and receive certain FEMA non-emergency assistance.
Federal agencies offer online courses to help build knowledge and implementation of nature-based solutions.
Continuously updated, we've collected reports, blogs, webinars, external sources and other resources to help support the pursuit of nature-based solutions.