Engineering With Nature

The US Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering With Nature® (EWN®) initiative was established in 2010 to support and deliver 21st century engineering and infrastructure solutions. Modern, sustainable engineering will “intentionally align natural and engineering processes to efficiently and sustainably deliver economic, environmental and social benefits through collaboration” (the definition of EWN). EWN is developing and implementing nature-based solutions for water and infrastructure projects. EWN brings together a growing international community of practitioners, scientists, engineers, and researchers, from all kinds of disciplines to collaborate on ways to harness the power of nature to innovate, solve problems, and create sustainable solutions. The four key elements of the EWN approach are: 1) using science and engineering to produce efficiency, 2) using natural processes to maximum benefit, 3) diversifying and expanding the benefits and value of infrastructure, and 4) using collaboration and partnering to make it happen. Sustainable infrastructure is achieved through the beneficial integration of engineering and natural systems. With recent advances in the fields of engineering and ecology, there is an opportunity to combine these fields of practice into a single collaborative and cost-effective approach for infrastructure development and environmental management. Triple-win outcomes are achieved throughout EWN by systematically integrating social, environmental, and economic considerations at every phase of a project. The results are innovative and resilient solutions that are more socially acceptable, viable and equitable, and, ultimately, more sustainable.

Communication is a critical component of the EWN initiative. Through a wide range of activities, we are sharing best practice globally to foster advancement in practice. By way of example, our atlas book series (Volumes 1 and 2) showcases EWN principles and practices in action through illustrations and descriptions of a combined 118 constructed projects around the world. The EWN Podcast launched in 2020 is further elevating our communication about EWN, our relationships, and progress with advancing practice. This fall, the EWN initiative is producing Season 3 of our podcast with episodes available through the EWN website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and iHeart Radio.

The EWN initiative also recognizes the importance of strong collaborations and partnerships across all sectors to advance practice and deliver sustainable infrastructure. The most recent illustration of EWN’s success through partnering is the September 2021 publication of the International Guidelines on Use of Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management. The 5-year project was initiated and led by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as a part of the EWN initiative. The USACE, the Rijkswaterstaat in The Netherlands, and the Environment Agency in the United Kingdom were the three primary government institutions that organized and led the effort. Many other organizations also provided critical leadership and participation, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, World Bank, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and The Nature Conservancy. Over 180 practitioners, researchers, engineers, scientists, and other professionals from 77 public, private, non-government, non-profit, and academic organizations were part of the global team. All were driven by a desire to collect, organize, and learn from the wide range of experience with NNBF around the world.

The EWN initiative will continue lead practice and identify more opportunities to innovate, solve problems, and create sustainable solutions by engineering with nature.