Nature-Based Solutions
DEEP released the following NBS Initiative Program Evaluation on July 1, as required by section 12 of Public Act 25-125. Link to the press release
Link to NBS Initiative Program Evaluation (full document)
To view chapters individually, please click on one of the links below (internal document links work best on the full document above):
- I Executive Summary
- II NBS Practices with CT Examples
- III Evaluation of DEEPs NBS Programs
- IV Evaluation of Other State Agency NBS Programs
- V Opportunities to Advance NBS Programs
- VI NBS Initiative Program Evaluation Conclusions
- Appendices I - VI
Link to Notice of May 26th Listening Sessions and Opportunity for Public Comment
The NBS Initiative Program Evaluation was compiled after receiving public input and consultation with other state agencies as required in P.A. 25-125. Two 90-minute hybrid listening sessions were held on Tuesday, May 26th to provide an overview of the following Draft NBS Initiative Program Evaluation and receive public input. Recordings of these listening sessions are available below along with the Draft NBS Initiative Program Evaluation:
Key to NBS Best Practice Icons and Color-Coding
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Increase carbon sequestration through increased forest acreage, including reforestation |
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Control invasive species |
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Encourage soil health across all landscapes |
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Protect carbon stocks through avoiding the conversion of forests and wetlands to other purposes |
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Restore habitats to improve biodiversity | 6 |  |
Increase climate-smart agriculture and soil conservation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving habitat and protecting biodiversity | |
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Increase community resilience by improving water quality and addressing flooding and drought through nature-based stormwater management | 8 |  |
Increase community resilience by improving water quality and addressing flooding and drought through nature-based shoreline protection including living shorelines | |
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Improve air quality and reduce urban heat island effects through urban forestry and increasing green spaces | 10 |  |
Increase access to open space for public health benefits | |
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Primary Purpose BLUE means this NBS practice is a TOP PRIORITY for a Program |
Co-Benefit GREEN means this NBS practice is an ADDITIONAL BENEFIT for a Program |
Eligible ORANGE means this NBS practice is ELIGIBLE but not a top priority for a Program |
Not Applicable GREY means the NBS practice is NOT APPLICABLE to a Program |
Click here to view the Icon Key as a PDF
“Nature-based solutions” or “NBS” are umbrella concepts that include a wide variety of ecosystem-based approaches utilized to address societal challenges. NBS rely on natural processes that are dynamic, so they require adaptive management, monitoring, and adjustments over time (Cohen-Shacham, et al. 2016. "Nature-Based Solutions to Address Global Societal Challenges").
In 2025, the CT General Assembly passed Public Act 25-125 which identifies climate change, biodiversity loss, and ensuring community resilience as the primary challenges that NBS can help address. Section 12 of P.A. 25-125 required DEEP to produce a report on NBS that features DEEP’s efforts to integrate and advance NBS programs, certain NBS practices, as well as highlight the efforts of 7 other state agencies (CT Departments of Agriculture, Housing, Insurance, Public Health, Transportation, the Office of Policy and Management, and the CT Green Bank).
Efforts on NBS are not just specific to Connecticut but are regional, national, and global in scope. In fact, the United Nations Environmental Assembly adopted the following definition of NBS in 2022:
Actions to protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage natural or modified terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems, which address social, economic and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being, ecosystem services and resilience and biodiversity benefits.
It’s important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution available to address Connecticut’s complex climate, biodiversity, and resilience threats as they intensify; and it is likely that neither built nor nature-based solutions can handle these existential threats alone.
But clearly, NBS are an important tool in society’s “solutions toolbag” to achieve a healthy mix of ecosystem, resilience, and biodiversity benefits that makes Connecticut special, and it is important to both understand how state agencies are currently integrating NBS into their programs as well as evaluate opportunities for advancing NBS-related investments by the state going forward.