Introduction
Natural Climate Solutions, also called Nature-Based Solutions, are actions that reduce emissions and increase carbon storage in forests, farms, grasslands and wetlands, while providing a host of additional benefits for people and the environment.
Practices that could be included are actions like encouraging farming techniques that retain carbon in the soil, such as planting cover crops; conserving and replanting forests; conserving and restoring coastal wetlands; and reducing the loss of natural areas, planting trees, and providing parks in communities.
Not only do these efforts help address climate change – they can improve water quality, prevent natural disasters like wildfire, drought, and flooding, protect wildlife habitat, and provide opportunities for hiking and fishing. Best of all, these solutions are cost effective, and can often improve local economies.
Below you can explore how people in Washington are benefiting from implementing nature-based solutions in their community through a diverse set of resources from USN4C members and others, including blog articles, videos, comprehensive reports, and more.
Blog Articles
© Breanna Oakley/TNC Photo Contest 2019
U.S. Nature4Climate Article: Bridging Divides through Natural Climate Solutions: Insights from Commissioner Hilary Franz at New York Climate Week
© 2021 University of Washington for TNC
The Nature Conservancy Article: Snow, Trees and Hope: How Forest Restoration Boosts Cascades Snowpack
Photo by Lazy R Ranch for AFT
American Farmland Trust Article: Fire Does Not Respect Fence Lines: Why Community is Key for Resilience
- Land Trust Alliance Article: The Glen Tana Story in the Pacific Northwest Bridges the Past and the Future
- Pew Charitable Trusts Article: On the Front Line of Disasters, County Leaders Look to Boost Resilience
- Environmental Defense Fund Climate 411 Article: New Modeling Shows the Power of Cap-and-Invest in Washington State
- Greenline Insights Report: Climate Commitment Act
- Greenline Insights Fact Sheet: Forests, Water, Fish, and Farms
- The Nature Conservancy Press Release: Land and Water Conservation Funds Enables Permanent Protection of Washington’s Central Cascades Forest
- Hispanic Access Foundation In the News (Latin Times): Latinos Face Disproportionately Higher Risk of Flooding in the U.S.; Here’s Why.
Forests:
- The Nature Conservancy Article: Douglas Reed: Environmental Conservation as a North Star for the Timber Industry
- Trust for Public Land Article: Fighting Wildfire with Conservation
- American Forests Article: Two Years Later: The Fight to Save the Whitebark Pine Continues
- USDA Forest Service Fact Sheet: Forest Legacy 2024 Funded Projects
- American Forests Magazine Article: Trees on the Move: Assisted Migration Could Help Forests Keep Pace with Climate Change
- The Nature Conservancy Press Release: Nature Conservancy Releases Innovative Emerald Edge Carbon Map
- Scientific American Op-Ed by Envionmental Defense Fund Executive Director Amanda Leland & Chief Scientist Steven Hamburg: How Temperate Forests Could Help Limit Climate Change
- Pew Charitable Trusts Article: As Climate Threats Grow, U.S. Seeks to Restore Old-Growth Forests
- Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Nature-based Solutions Interactive Map: Washington – Restoring the Quillayute River and Floodplain
- SCIENCE: Ecological Applications Study (University of California-Davis): Moderating Effects of Past Wildfire on Reburn Severity Depend on Climate and Initial Severity in Western U.S. Forests
- National Association of Conservation Districts Press Release: NACD Announces Urban and Community Conservation Grants for 35 Recipients
- SCIENCE: The Nature Conservancy Article: Comprehensive Science Review Shows Fuel Treatments Reduce Future Wildfire Severity
- SCIENCE: Forest Ecology & Management Study: Tamm review: A Meta-Analysis of Thinning, Prescribed Fire, and Wildfire Effects on Subsequent Wildfire Severity in Conifer Dominated Forests of the Western US
- SCIENCE: Natural Hazards Study (University of Idaho): Exploring Support and Opposition to Regulatory Approaches for Wildfire Risk Management: Requirements, Voluntary Actions, and Tailored Local Action
- Environmental Defense Fund Climate 411 Blog Article: Despite Threat of Repeal, Washington State’s Carbon Market Continues To Raise Urgently-Needed Revenue for Communities in The Evergreen State
- USDA Forest Service Article: Wildfire: A Modern Day Paradox
- Pew Charitable Trusts Article: Rising Wildfire Risks Prompt States to Look for New Approaches to Resilience
- U.S. Nature4Climate/The Lands Council Article: Sequestering Carbon Through Conversation and Community Burning: Converting Forest Fuels to Biochar
- U.S. Nature4Climate/The Nature Conservancy Article: The State of the Puget Sound Tree Canopy
- U.S. Nature4Climate Article: Why Greenhouse Gas Inventories Are Important for Natural and Working Lands — and How to Fix Them
Agriculture & Grasslands:
- The Nature Conservancy Article: Andrew Nelson: Futurist Farmer Bridging Technology and Agriculture
- National Wildlife Federation Article: Grasslands: A Disappearing Ecosystem
- National Wildlife Federation Statement: Bureau of Land Management Must Adopt Durable, Science-Based Management Approaches to Reverse Sage Grouse Declines
- U.S. Nature4Climate/The Nature Conservancy Article: Climate Solutions in the Sagebrush Steppe
Wetlands:
- U.S. Nature4Climate Blog Article: Harnessing Blue Carbon: A Natural Solution to Climate Change and Coastal Resilience
- Pew Charitable Trusts Article: States Improve How They Assess Coastal Wetlands’ Impacts to Reduce Climate Pollution
- The Nature Conservancy Press Release: NOAA Announces $220 Million for Coastal Conservation and Restoration Projects
- U.S. Nature4Climate/Pew Charitable Trusts Blog Article: Carbon Captured by Coastal & Ocean Habitats Can Advance States’ Climate Goals: Experts discuss growing ‘blue carbon’ data and resources, and their potential role in policy
Reports
Hispanic Access Foundation & Headwaters Institute Report (November 2023): Latinos Face Higher Flood Risk Than Other Groups
Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, Institute for Applied Ecology, and Natural Resources Consultants Report: Restoring Tidal Swamps in the U.S. Pacific Northwest: Information for Restoration Practitioners
Videos & Podcasts
Cornell Lab of Ornithology Video: Hope and Restoration: Saving the Whitebark Pine
Explore More!
A new national survey conducted by U.S. Nature4Climate shows that voters across party lines support natural climate solutions more than ever, suggesting fertile ground for bi-partisan cooperation and consensus-building, opening up new avenues for climate action. Learn more.
Explore U.S. Climate Alliance‘s Climate Policy Database.
Explore Nature4Communities, a resource that shows you how nature-based solutions are critical for your community’s well-being and become a better advocate for their implementation.