Nature-based solutions Archives ~ MAVEN'S NOTEBOOK

August 11, 2026

Combining flood mitigation with wetland habitat restoration, “horizontal levees” could protect coastal cities and wildlife from rising seas. By Charlotte...

USGS: Morphodynamics of dune-based coastal flood mitigation under sea level rise

USGS

Climate change Research article Science

July 29, 2026

By the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center Natural and engineered sand dunes serve as barriers to protect against...

UC SANTA CRUZ: UC Santa Cruz team helps California Air Resources Board better understand how wetlands sequester carbon and improve air quality

UC Santa Cruz

Climate change

July 11, 2026

Atmosphere-monitoring towers operated by the Paytan Lab will tell the tale of two very different Southern California wetlands over the...

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: Delta Independent Science Board examines Nature-Based Solutions for climate, water and habitat goals

Maven

Notebook News and Features Planning and management

July 8, 2026

State agencies highlight nature-based solutions for the Delta Nature-based solutions use natural systems and working landscapes to reduce greenhouse gas...

KNEE DEEP TIMES: New study teases out seawall impacts

Knee Deep Times

Climate change

January 13, 2026

By Claudia Steiner, Knee Deep Times Experts predict the San Francisco Bay Area will bear two-thirds of the damage from...

KNEE DEEP TIMES: The race against runoff

Knee Deep Times

Planning and management

January 7, 2026

By Nate Seltenrich, Knee Deep Times Few of us give stormwater a second thought — at least until it backs...

MONGABAY: When does beaver reintroduction make sense?

Mongabay

Ecosystems

September 24, 2025

By John Cannon, Mongabay KEY IDEAS: California has recently relocated beavers from spots where they were causing problems, like flooding,...

SIERRA NEVADA CONSERVANCY: Restoring Resilience: Leveraging nature-based solutions for wildfire protection and carbon storage in Sierra-Cascade forests

Sierra Nevada Conservancy

Wildfires and watersheds

September 10, 2025

By the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Over the last 21 years, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) has funded and supported essential...

STANFORD: Strategically bringing back beavers could support healthy and climate-resilient watersheds

Stanford University

Ecosystems

August 11, 2025

Often portrayed as lumber-hungry nuisances, North American beavers build dams that help freshwater ecosystems thrive. A new Stanford-led study uses...

UCANR: The impact of climate change on stormwater management

UC Ag and Natural Resources (UCANR)

Planning and management

July 18, 2025

By Daniel Gonzalez, Esther N Lofton, UCANR Climate change is affecting all parameters of the environmental spectrum and thus, all...

THE CURRENT: Rivers choose their path based on erosion — a discovery that could transform flood planning and restoration

UC Santa Barbara

Ecosystems Science

July 14, 2025

By Harrison Tasoff, UC Santa Barbara Rivers are Earth’s arteries. Water, sediment and nutrients self-organize into diverse, dynamic channels as...

USGS: Nature-based “Horizontal Levees” reduce flood risk in San Francisco Bay

USGS

Planning and management

May 21, 2025

By the USGS As sea levels rise and storms intensify, the threat of coastal flooding in low-lying areas like San...

UCSC: Facing the storm: UC Santa Cruz researchers model a new line of coastal defense

UC Santa Cruz

Planning and management

May 21, 2025

Buffering aging levees with sloping wetlands reduces flood risk while establishing beneficial ecosystems. Key takeaways Horizontal levees offer dual benefits:...

NOTEBOOK FEATURE: How a new wetland restoration could expedite transforming the Delta from a carbon source to a carbon sink

Robin Meadows

Best of the Notebook Ecosystems Notebook News and Features

April 23, 2025

By Robin Meadows Staten Island lies in the heart of California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, and exemplifies the woes of...

CDFW sees ecosystem engineers at work in beaver restoration pilot projects

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Ecosystems

April 8, 2025

From the Department of Fish and Wildlife: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) set out on its mission...