On June 24, 2021, Dr. Todd S. Bridges, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Senior Research Scientist & National Lead of Engineering With Nature® gave testimony to the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment and Public Works during a hearing entitled “The Role of Natural and Nature-Based Features in Water Resources Projects.”

The hearing was devoted to the topic of natural infrastructure and Dr. Bridges referenced the UF/CCS – USACE collaboration on Engineering With Nature in his opening statement. The hearing can be viewed here and our collaboration is mentioned around 36:00, while Dr. Bridge’s opening statement starts around 32:00. A transcript of the hearing is also available

From Dr. Bridge’s statement:

In the context of USACE’s civil works mission, nature-based solutions, and similar terms, refer to the intentional and substantial use of natural systems in providing water resources solutions. USACE has made significant use of such approaches, going back many decades, to integrate human engineering with natural systems where possible. The USACE Engineering With Nature initiative was established in 2010 to advance opportunities to implement nature-based solutions for civil works projects in partnership with cost-sharing sponsors and the public, and began expanding application to military programs in the Department of Defense in 2018. In 2018 and in 2021 we published Volumes 1 and 2 of Engineering With Nature®: an Atlas. These books showcase 118 examples of constructed projects around the world that illustrate what engineering with nature practice and projects can look like. Fifty of these projects were built by USACE through the civil works program at sites across the country. These projects include coastal and riverine restoration, beneficial use of dredged material, island construction projects, among others, that produce economic and environmental benefits.