Nature Based Solutions
Actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use, and manage natural or modified ecosystems to address social, economic, and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits.
At ESSA, we believe in the power of Nature-based Solutions to create a more sustainable future. We proudly support the pioneers who are challenging conventional thinking in this space. Through our expertise and ingenuity, we guide governments, businesses, and organizations towards harnessing nature’s assets as solution providers for both humans and nature.
Our scientists are not conventional. Driven by a passion for making a difference, they embrace innovation, constantly working at the boundaries of what’s possible in nature-based solutions. They blend cutting-edge modelling technologies and rigorous evidence-based decision making with deep ecological understanding. They are interdisciplinary, ensuring holistic, actionable outcomes that integrate ecology, engineering, economics, and social sciences. They have a proven track record, with over four decades of success delivering tangible and lasting impacts to ecosystems, communities, and economies. When you partner with us, you’re not just getting a team of scientists; you’re getting a carefully curated force for transformation.
We offer three core services in this practice area: 1) Natural Asset Inventories, 2) Natural Asset Planning and Decision Support, and 3) Natural Asset Marketing.
Natural Asset Inventories
To help you uncover and quantify nature’s assets, from inland forests and wetlands to coastlines, to marine ecosystems, we assess and catalog your natural assets, estimating the benefits they provide and laying the groundwork for informed decisions. In this service area, we do:
- Interactive web-based spatial inventories
- Condition and risk assessment of natural assets
- Estimation of baseline levels of service from natural assets
Natural Asset Planning and Decision Support
We design strategic plans that harmonize human needs with ecological imperatives. Our decision support tools and facilitation teams blend data-driven insights with visionary thinking, ensuring sustainable outcomes. In this service area, we do:
- Development of target levels of service and indicators of success
- Identification, prioritization, and selection of management options
- Development of monitoring plans
- Ecological modelling for scenario-based simulation
- Economic valuation of natural assets
- Development of implementation plans
Natural Asset Marketing
We give you access to the benefits of investing in nature through innovative marketing strategies, while fostering a culture of environmental stewardship. In this service area, we do:
- Identification and assessment of conservation financing mechanisms
- Ecosystem services marketing plans
Together, let’s embrace the transformative power of nature and create a legacy of sustainability for future generations.
Explore the following sample of projects from ESSA’s Nature Based Solutions Practice Area which showcase our work. You can also explore a foundational reading list from which we draw inspiration. Contact Cedar Morton ([email protected]) for more information about our work in this practice area.
- Anielski, Mark, and Sara Wilson. 2005. Counting Canada’ s Natural Capital: Assessing the Real Value of Canada’ s Boreal Ecosystems. Calgary, AB: Pembina Institute. https://www.pembina.org/pub/counting-canadas-natural-capital.
- British Columbia (BC) Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (Canada). 2019b. Integrating Natural Assets into Asset Management – A Companion Document to Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery: A BC Framework. Asset Management BC. https://www.assetmanagementbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Integrating-Natural-Assets-into-Asset-Management.pdf
- Costanza, R., d’Arge, R., De Groot, R., Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., Limburg, K., Naeem, S., O’neill, R.V., Paruelo, J. and Raskin, R.G., 1997. The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital. nature, 387(6630), pp.253-260.
- Dasgupta, P., 2021. The economics of biodiversity: the Dasgupta review. Hm Treasury.
- Hanley, N., et al., 2003: Aggregating the benefits of environmental improvements: distance decay functions for use and non-use values. Journal of Environmental Management, 68 (2003), 297–304.
- Knowler, Duncan, and Kristin Dust. 2008. “The Economics of Protecting Old Growth Forest: An Analysis of Spotted Owl Habitat in the Fraser Timber Supply Area of British Columbia.” Burnaby, B.C.
- Loomis, John B., Armando González-Cabán, and Robin Gregory. 1996. “A Contingent Valuation Study of the Value of Reducing Fire Hazards to Old growth Forests in the Pacific Northwest.” Research Paper PSW-RP-229-Web. Albany, CA.
- MNAI. 2022. Developing Levels of Service for Local Governments: A Guidebook for Local Governments. Municipal Natural Assets Initiative.
- Morton, C, D Knowler, C Brugere, D Lymer, and D Bartley. 2017. “Valuation of Fish Production Services in River Basins: a Case Study of the Columbia River.” Ecosystem Services 24: 101–13. doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.02.007.
- Municipal Natural Assets Initiative (MNAI). 2023.Legal Primer: Natural Asset Management by Local Governments in Canada.MNAI.ca. https://naturalassetsinitiative.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Legal_Primer-Natural_Asset_Management_by_Local_Governments_in_Canada.pdf
- UNIDO. (2011). Industrial Value Chain Diagnostics: An Integrated Tool. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Vienna, Austria. 114pp