Webinars

Natural hazards, such as flooding, drought, hurricanes, landslides and wildfires pose a serious risk to states, localities, tribes and territories throughout the United States. A major objective in mitigation planning and actions is to break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) program is looking to reduce the impact these hazards have on lives; properties and the economy through nature-based solutions such as sustainable planning, design, and engineering practices that use natural features or processes to reduce flood risks, improve water quality, protect coastal property, restore and protect wetlands, stabilize shorelines, reduce urban heat, and add recreational space.

Bloomsburie is working with HMA to create a series of webinars on nature-based solutions to describe the benefits of environmental management when using natural features into the built environment, discuss examples of successfully funded nature-based programs, and explain how to incorporate nature-based solutions to promote adaptation and resilience in the face of hazards. We are also creating a guidebook for HMA employees with information on nature-based solution projects, and a toolkit with links to training developed for the HMA SMART (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-related) program that supports building technical capacity and HMA knowledge that includes the whole HMA portfolio, and training developed by relevant Federal agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The benefit of this project is the creation of a comprehensive strategy to provide information, resources and training on nature-based solutions. An example includes FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) that allows participating communities to earn lower flood insurance rates for property owners, renters, and businesses. They get credit for actions that reduce risk under the National Flood Insurance Program such as preserving open space, restoring wetlands, and developing a living shoreline. Specially, Folly Beach, South Carolina, incorporated nature-based solutions into their CRS program and received a 30-percent reduction in premiums. This will assist HMA staff, partners, and communities to identify and use the resources to implement nature-based solutions that build resilience and to educate others on how to contribute to mitigating natural hazards.