Scaling up Nature-Based Solutions (SUNS)
SUNS is a two-year effort to identify and promote nature-based solutions for resiliency in the Florida panhandle. Nature-based solutions use nature to tackle challenges such as flood mitigation, climate change, biodiversity protection, and human health. The project brings together local stakeholders to identify the best natural solutions to the unique challenges facing Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties.
Hurricane Michael significantly damaged communities in the Florida panhandle when it hit the area in 2018. Those communities are now actively working to recover—and prepare for the next storm.
The Nature Conservancy, with support from Northeastern University and the United States Naval Academy, is working with the Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD), alongside local, regional, state and federal partners on a project to promote nature-based solutions (NBS) for resiliency in the panhandle. The effort is being funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Coastal Resilience Fund.
This project, called Scaling Up Nature Based Solutions (SUNS), will create a portfolio of NBS projects for coastal resilience in Franklin, Gulf, and Bay counties. The resulting regional resilience planning framework will guide investments in restoring and strengthening natural features, such as wetlands and oyster reefs, to reduce flood risk and conserve the exceptional natural resources of the project area.
Project Objectives
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Timeline
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March - July 2021
Activity: Information gathering, needs assessment, data compilation | Outcome: Established stakeholder working group and identification of capacity gaps
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July 2021 - March 2022
Activity: Convene working group to review and select nature-based solution options in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties | Outcome: Draft portfolio of nature-based solution projects, maps
Project Team
Hurricane Michael Study: Key Findings
In 2019, following Hurricane Michael, Northeastern, USNA, and TNC conducted a series of studies to assess Hurricane Michael’s impact in Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties. The team examined the relationship between open space and storm damage; the performance of natural versus hard infrastructure during the storm; and the resiliency of marshes. This work provided the foundation for the SUNS Project.
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Were natural shorelines viable forms of coastal protection?
- Overall property damage was extensive with 6% of residents describing their homes as ruined, 26% majorly damaged, and 36% moderately damaged.
- Armored shorelines did not provide additional storm protection and greatly increased recovery costs for waterfront residents. On average, recovery costs for vegetated shorelines were $2,937, and $14,117 for hardened shorelines. This suggests that natural and nature-based shorelines are attractive and cost-effective options for individual shoreline protection.
- Overall property damage was extensive with 6% of residents describing their homes as ruined, 26% majorly damaged, and 36% moderately damaged.
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Were marshes resilient to the impacts of Hurricane Michael?
- Coastal marshes were largely resistant to storm impacts. Despite being subject to hurricane winds and surge, only 2% of coastal marshes in the study area were damaged.
- Residents also generally perceived marshes as effective at protecting coastlines against storm waves and inundation.
- However, damaged marshes were slow to recover. Only 16% of damaged marshes recovered six months after landfall. Because marshes are important for coastal protection, they should be proactively managed post-storm to increase recovery.
- Coastal marshes were largely resistant to storm impacts. Despite being subject to hurricane winds and surge, only 2% of coastal marshes in the study area were damaged.
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Did green space or open space support Hurricane Recovery?
- Increasing green space surrounding a home was associated with higher probability of recovery, after controlling for social and hurricane-impact factors
- This demonstrates the importance of considering green spaces and natural and nature-based features as part of a holistic portfolio of investments for promoting resilient coastal communities.
- Increasing green space surrounding a home was associated with higher probability of recovery, after controlling for social and hurricane-impact factors
Working Group
The Working Group is a group of approximately 25 people with representatives from Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties; municipal governments; environmental organizations; state and federal entities; and the public. The first Working Group session will review the benefits of nature-based solutions (NBS) as a resilience strategy and will be tailored to the Working Group members’ level of knowledge. Members of the Working Group will then draw upon their own expertise, as well as suitability maps generated by the TNC/NU/USNA teams, to help create a prioritized portfolio of NBS investments across the project area, taking into account both risk reduction and habitat benefits.
The purpose of the Working Group is to:
- Advance resilience planning in the wake of Hurricane Michael across Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties by facilitating increased coordination across jurisdictions and agencies
- Identify potential projects and opportunities for policy-change to support nature-based resilience solutions
More specifically, the Working Group sessions will help to develop a portfolio of nature-based resilience projects by defining:
- The types of NBS that are locally appropriate and feasible within the region
- Selection criteria for prioritizing NBS projects, and
- The specific types and locations of NBS projects that should be prioritized
SUNS Meetings
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Meeting 1: July 20, 2021
Meeting: Working Group Kickoff: The State of Resilience Planning and Projects in the Hurricane Michael Region
Objectives:
- Introduce the SUNS project team
- Establish ground rules and select Working Group Co-Chairs
- Understand working group purpose, objectives, workflow, and Accelerator
- Share the types of NBS project possibilities for SUNS
- Identify potential projects for the Accelerator
Materials: Agenda and Notes | Presentation | Recording (download)
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Meeting 2: August 24, 2021
Meeting: Portfolio Development Process: Hazards and NBS Project Types
Objectives
- Review and update Existing Planning and Projects Footprint spreadsheet: Participants are aware of planning and project efforts that are already underway across the three-county area
- Participants have a baseline knowledge of SUNS Portfolio development process and Working Group role in process
- Project team has information necessary (hazards, project types) to generate suitability maps
- Refined Existing Planning and Projects Footprint spreadsheet
- List of hazard types and data sources for consideration in NBS Opportunity mapping
- List of project types for SUNS suitability maps
Materials: Agenda and Notes | Presentation | Recording (download)
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Meeting 3: September 30, 2021
Meeting: Portfolio Development Process: Conservation Priorities and Regional Strategies
Objectives/Outputs:
- Review final Existing Planning and Projects Footprint Map: Participants are aware of planning and project efforts that are already underway across the three-county area
- Accelerator Projects update
- Review and discuss fish and wildlife habitat data layers
- Participants develop list of Regional Strategies for developing NBS project ideas
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Meeting 4: October 28, 2021
Meeting: Portfolio Development Process (ctd.): Priority Locations and Regional Strategies
Resources
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Scaling up Nature-Based Solutions
See a one-page fact sheet for the SUNS Project. Learn more
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Hurricane Michael Study Executive Summary
This summary covers the various dimensions of the Hurricane Michael Study, which examined the ways nature buffered the storm’s impact in Florida’s Panhandle. Download
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Collecting and Synthesizing Existing Data about Hurricane Michael
In the early aftermath of Hurricane Michael in October 2018, Northeastern researched and gathered available data and reports to understand the broader landscape of impacts and ongoing assessments. Download
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Effects of Green to Gray Space on Storm Impacts and Recovery
This study found that during Hurricane Michael, an increased amount of green space around homes predicted a higher probability of home and mental recovery. Download
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Storm Perceptions, Impacts, and Recovery of Coastal Households
This study compared the performance of hardened shorelines to vegetated shorelines. While the two performed similarly in the Panhandle during Michael, vegetated shorelines offered significant savings in repair and maintenance costs. Download
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Damage, Resilience, and Recovery of Salt Marshes
This study found that Florida marshes were largely resistant to storm damage from Hurricane Michael—offering important implications for the roles marshes can play as coastal buffers. Download
Resources for Nature-based Solutions
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Naturally Resilient Communities
The Naturally Resilient Communities website provides a guide to nature-based solutions and includes case studies of successful projects from across the country Learn more
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Promoting Nature-Based Hazard Mitigation Through FEMA Grants
A TNC guidebook that offers a framework for identifying nature-based solution mitigation projects eligible for FEMA funding Learn more
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Green Infrastructure and Post-Disaster Recovery
The APA’s Green Infrastructure and Post-Disaster Recovery (Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery Briefing Paper 10) demonstrates the important role green infrastructure plays in building resilience to natural hazards Learn more
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Engineering with Nature
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering with Nature: An Atlas offers two volumes of projects highlighting a range of applications for nature-based engineering solutions Learn more
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Tyndall Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Strategies
As part of Tyndall Air Force Base’s broader coastal resilience strategy, this guide offers a framework for nature-based solutions relevant to the Florida panhandle Learn more
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Plan4Resilience (LinkedIn)
The Plan4Resilience is a LinkedIn group that connects professionals interested in advancing nature-based solutions and community resilience Learn more
Additional Resources
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NOAA's Digital Coast
Brings together the resources of the nine member-organizations in the Digital Coast
Contact
For additional information, or to sign up for the SUNS newsletter, contact Anna Jane Jones, NOAA Digital Coast Fellow: annajane.jones@tnc.org
Partners
