The NICER: Natural Infrastructure Center for Environmental Justice and Resilience

The National Wildlife Federation is excited to announce we are building the Natural Infrastructure Center for Environmental Justice and Resilience (NICER), led by our Environmental Justice, Health, and Community Resilience and Revitalization (EJHCR2) Program! This initiative is intended to strengthen the National Wildlife Federation’s ability to authentically support and partner with communities that are the most at risk from climate change impacts and other environmental injustices to lead natural infrastructure projects at the local level.

The concept has evolved under the collaborative leadership of four co-chairs from different departments and regions of the organization that represent the Center’s interdisciplinary nature. The co-chairs are Dr. Adrienne Hollis from the EJHCR2 Team; Shannon Heyck-Williams from the Climate and Energy Team; Dr. Arsum Pathak, a Senior  Coastal Resilience Specialist; and Jessica Ritter from the Coasts and Water Team.

What Is “Natural Infrastructure”?

“Natural infrastructure” is a term that refers to natural systems or nature-based processes and features that provide both environmental and societal benefits. “Natural infrastructure” is inclusive of the concept of “nature-based solutions,” which were defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN) as

“… actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously benefiting people and nature.”

The National Wildlife Federation has decades of experience advancing natural infrastructure projects, ranging widely in approach, scale, and scope. Below are a few examples of how NWF advances natural infrastructure:

Rooted in the EJHCR2 Program 

As the impacts of climate change have accelerated, the opportunities provided by natural infrastructure, by simultaneously advancing community resilience, wildlife recovery, and habitat restoration are becoming increasingly important. However, these opportunities do not occur in a vacuum and there are environmental justice implications that must be centered.

Climate change impacts are not evenly distributed. Socially vulnerable groups, like people of color, low-income communities, and those with limited access to resources, disproportionately face impacts from climate change. This exacerbates the cumulative impacts resulting from environmental exposures and other socio-economic injustices.

While natural infrastructure can help mitigate the cumulative impacts experienced by these vulnerable communities and also help communities become more resilient,  implementing natural infrastructure projects is not risk-free nor a silver bullet to these complex and interconnected social and environmental challenges. 

If natural infrastructure projects ignore the needs and priorities of marginalized communities and only focus on environmental goals, they may inadvertently perpetuate historical disparities. For example, sometimes natural infrastructure projects can create more green space in a neighborhood, which leads to rising property values, attracting wealthier residents and displacing lower-income residents who may no longer be able to afford to live there. This phenomenon is called “green gentrification“.

When advancing natural infrastructure projects, it is important to center the needs and priorities of marginalized communities to minimize instances of green gentrification and other unintended consequences that will further harm the economic and social well-being of vulnerable communities.

Because the NICER will prioritize working with and centering marginalized people’s voices and lived experiences, it will be rooted within the EJHCR2Program. EJHCR2 Program’s mission is provided below:

“[We] intentionally prioritize and uplift the voices of marginalized communities on the frontlines by investing the time to build authentic and meaningful relationships. We work for a future where environmental policies and practices are just and equitable, and where marginalized communities are integrated into all decision-making processes. We collaborate with stakeholders across all levels of government and co-develop projects and policies with our community partners to support community-driven solutions to environmental issues and uphold practices that center justice and equity.”

The NICER will advance natural infrastructure projects in alignment with the mission of the EJHCR2 Program to authentically support and partner with communities that are the most at risk from climate change impacts and other environmental injustices.

Flooding from a storm. A house can be seen standing in water up to its windows.
Flooding at Waitsfield, VT, from Tropical Storm Irene. Credit: Jeff Knight/The Valley Reporter/Flickr

NICER

The NICER is a cross-cutting initiative–between our programs, our affiliates, and our partners–that aims to uplift and build on the Federation’s legacy of advancing natural infrastructure while prioritizing the needs of vulnerable communities. The NICER will be a hub, or “center”, for resources and knowledge-sharing where we will collaborate with stakeholders and co-develop projects and policies with our partners to support community-driven solutions.

We are currently in a “scoping” phase of the NICER’s programmatic strategic development. The goal of the scoping phase is to create a foundation for the successful planning and execution of the NICER by defining and documenting the NICER’s strategies, objectives, deliverables, timeline, budget, etc., in order to establish a clear understanding of what will be accomplished and how.

We are also piloting this work by supporting the Mississippi River team’s efforts to protect and restore the Mississippi River basin while improving the quality of life for all communities.  In early 2025, we will share more information about the NICER and how our supporters can get involved!