• Blue and Green Corridors Project
  • Clifton Integrated Constructed Wetland
  • Cowichan Lake Weir Rise

Nature-based Solutions

Working with nature to meet your intentions

Nature-based solutions (NbS), sometimes referred to as engineering with nature, is a design approach that leverages the positive benefits of natural systems in conjunction with traditional engineering. Weaving natural features and processes into our design work increases long-term human, ecological, and infrastructure resilience to climate change and other environmental impacts.

In the face of warmer global temperatures, increased drought intensity, water quality degradation, biodiversity loss, more severe and frequent storms, flooding, wildfires, sea level rise, and coastal erosion, there’s never been a more urgent time for NbS. Why? It plays a vital role in carbon sequestration by supporting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)—helping to mitigate climate change and generate a multiplicity of benefits.

Our holistic approach supports communities, industry, and our national security through the integration of NbS, resulting in social, economic, and environmental benefits.

Whether the need is a bioswale to mitigate flooding, wetlands to filter storm and wastewater, or a coastal restoration that safeguards infrastructure, Stantec’s NbS program has you covered. When it comes to achieving your environmental, social, and governance (ESG), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and carbon net zero goals—we bring the needed technical expertise. 

Stantec joins the Network for Engineering with Nature!

Leveraging natural systems to solve our communities’ infrastructure, natural resources, and climate change challenges is vital to a more resilient future. That’s why the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and University of Georgia formed the Network for Engineering with Nature® (N-EWN), an interdisciplinary collective of researchers, practitioners, and educators. We’re proud to partner with N-EWN to solve some of the most pressing environmental, social, and economic issues of our time using a natural infrastructure approach. Learn More

United Nations’ Decade on Ecosystem Restoration RIGHT!

At Stantec, delivering nature-based solutions (NbS) is a part of our everyday work. From Melbourne to Minnesota, from California to Calgary, we’re excited to work together to restore degraded ecosystems for the benefit of all living things

We live, work, and play where you do

The issues you face today are our issues, too. That’s why we’re so passionate about using NbS to solve these global challenges. From the mountain tops to the shinning seas, Stantec’s geographic reach—and our ability to work in any habitat—allows us to support the design of your NbS projects for a safer, more resilient future.

Looking through a holistic lens to see the multiple benefits

For more than 30 years, Stantec has designed and implemented NbS. Our large multidisciplinary team of ecologists, biologists, climate scientists, geologists, biogeochemists, engineers, and landscape architects take an integrated, adaptable approach. Our goal is to address climate change today to create the resilient communities of tomorrow, while generating additional benefits including increased biodiversity, improved air and water quality, recreation, increased real estate values, and expanded commercial opportunities.
Putting the environment at the heart of what we do
6,000+
Specialists
1%
Ranked
#8
Ranked

We have thousands of specialists across various sectors and the world available to help deliver NbS to our clients.
Corporate Knights Global ranked us among the top 1% in the world on sustainable performance (2022).
We were listed in the top 8 of 100 Green Design Firms by ENR (2021).

Services


Community Development We create communities by planning, developing, designing, and implementing the infrastructure needed to sustain their growth.
Ecosystem Restoration We combine local environment knowledge with multidisciplinary staff to re-establish ecological functions and biodiversity in damaged or degraded environments.
Ecosystems By documenting existing conditions and determining potential impacts, we develop avoidance and mitigation measures that are cost-effective but ensure protection of fish, aquatic invertebrates, and vegetation.
Environmental Services With 3,100 environmental staff in 20 specialties, we know what to do. When we’re gathering data to permit a new project or collaborating on a plan to remediate an old one, our passion for science drives us.
Mining - Environmental Services By understanding your goals and the needs of regulators and stakeholders, we can put together a strategy that is balanced for success.
Natural Capital & Natural Resource Economics Natural Capital & Natural Resource Economics works across sectors and business lines to assess, value, and restore natural resources.
Resilience Resilience means designing with an understanding of community stressors and vulnerabilities and then creating cost-effective solutions that balance risks and needs.
Resilient Adaptation & Mitigation We’re working with our clients to improve infrastructure, environment, and community resilience in preparation for climate change impacts.
Sustainability Designs, initiatives, and projects that support a more sustainable world are how we’re going to reduce harmful impacts and secure our global future.
Towards Net Zero & Beyond Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, carbon reliance, and other impacts towards climate change—we’re helping clients work towards net zero and beyond.
Transportation - Environmental Services When we work with you to prepare permit applications and environmental assessments, our primary goal is to obtain sufficient information to meet regulatory requirements.
Urban Planning & Design Our plans help harness the forces reshaping North American communities. We create places that are authentic, green, walkable, connected and diverse.

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