Can green infrastructure play a vital role in improving wastewater management solutions? In this segment of the waste(d)water podcast, we feature a special episode from Reef Exchanges, a podcast produced by The Nature Conservancy’s Reef Resilience Network. Each edition of Reef Exchanges features an in-depth discussion around the latest developments in marine science and management, linking strategies and insights to concrete actions and useful tools. In this episode, hosts Henry Borrebach andKristen Maize speak with Dr. Rob McDonald, Lead Scientist for Nature-based Solutions at The Nature Conservancy. They introduce nature-based solutions (NbS) as an alternative - and sometimes compliment - to traditional gray infrastructure through use of natural processes to capture and treat contaminated water before discharge into waterways. They also share suggestions for how marine managers can build support for NbS to advance implementation of low-cost, long-term solutions with multiple benefits.

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Dr. Rob McDonald is the Lead Scientist for Nature-based Solutions for The Nature Conservancy where he conducts research on the impact and dependencies of communities on the natural world, studying how nature can increase resilience in the face of climate change and improve human health and well-being. He received his Ph.D. in Ecology from Duke University and has expertise in ecosystem services, biodiversity preservation and urban planning.

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