National Forum on Nature-Based Solutions
Nature-based solutions are actions that protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use, or manage natural or modified ecosystems to address social, economic, and environmental challenges while providing benefits for human well-being, ecosystem services, resilience, and biodiversity. These solutions are recognized as approaches that can help communities reduce vulnerability to climate-related hazards, support biodiversity and ecosystem function, improve water quality, and strengthen resilience.
Over March 10-12, 2026, the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a national forum in Mobile, Alabama, bringing together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, community leaders, engineers, planners, nonprofit representatives, local government staff, and financing experts to explore how nature-based solutions can move from promising pilots to widespread practice. This publication highlights the presentations and discussion of the forum.