Natural Asset Management
Roadmap Program
Submit your Expression of Interest
ACCESS
Online
COST
CAN$500 / CAN$1,000
LOCATION
Canada-wide
Start incorporating natural asset management in your local government’s asset management and financial processes, and chart a course towards cost-effective, climate-resilient service delivery.
Program Details
The Natural Asset Management (NAM) Roadmap Program helps local governments begin integrating NAM in their asset management and financial planning.
In this program, NAI works with your team to assess your organization’s current progress and capacity in NAM, and develop a roadmap of short- to medium-term actions to account for and manage natural assets as a part of your community’s critical infrastructure.
Eligibility
The NAM Roadmap Program was designed primarily for Canadian local governments who are in the early stages of NAM, but other public and private sector organizations are welcome to apply.
Requirements
- A minimum of three staff participants per organization*
- Elected officials are welcome to participate
- Participating staff should be from cross-functional departments, and ideally include a finance manager or senior administrator; public works or engineering staff member; and environmental sustainability or planning staff member
*Very small local governments (population under 1,000) may opt to have two staff members and one elected official participate.
Cost
The fee for the NAM Roadmap Program is $500 per local government (subsidized) and $1,000 for other public or private-sector organizations.
Time Commitment
This program is considered a high-level training activity to support your organization and team in natural asset management.
Most organizations complete their roadmap within four months. Including participation in a few (2-3) virtual workshops, the program requires a total of approximately:
- 2.5 – 4 days’ work from the Project Lead
- 0.5 – 1 day of work from the other staff participants
Program Outcomes
- Build awareness among cross-functional staff of the advantages of natural asset management
- Understand how your organization can better incorporate natural assets in the planning and delivering of priority services, such as stormwater and flood management, water quality, biodiversity, and recreation
- Complete a high-level roadmap outlining short-to-medium term actions your organization can take to progress NAM
- Learn from peers and join the network of NAM leaders helping to advance climate-resilient, cost-effective service delivery through nature
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m a business/NGO, can I still apply?
Yes! While this program is primarily geared towards Canadian local governments, public and private sector organizations that manage large areas of natural lands (e.g., forests, watersheds, grasslands, or other natural areas) are welcome to submit an expression of interest.
Is this program suited for Indigenous Nations?
The roadmap was designed for local governments that are formalizing their municipal asset management practices. The process has not yet been adapted for — and therefore may not be suitable for — Indigenous Nations.
NAI is working with individual First Nations and Indigenous organizations on natural asset inventories and how to undertake NAM in a way that balances Western asset management concepts and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Please contact us if you would like to discuss the program or learn more.
Is there a limit on the number of participants per organization?
No. We ask that you have at least three staff members from your organization participate in the program, but more are encouraged!
Participating staff should represent a range of departments relevant to how your organization carries out infrastructure/asset management, such as Engineering, Public Works, Planning and Development, Finance, Environment and Sustainability, Tourism, and Recreation.
Very small local governments can participate with just two staff and one elected official.
Does my organization need to have a natural asset inventory to join this program?
Nope! This program is designed for those in the early stages of NAM as well as those who are more advanced — organizations can choose to complete a roadmap before or after their natural asset inventory as the two are separate activities.
What’s the difference?
A roadmap is a concise document that identifies key actions your organization should take to make progress on NAM based on your current context. It takes into account your organization’s capacities and priorities. You develop your roadmap; our role is to coach your team and help build consensus on priority actions. An inventory, on the other hand, is a necessary step to formalize natural asset management.
Want to learn more about inventories?
Check out the national standard for natural asset inventories, CSA W218
Watch How do they do it? Green Analytics demos the science behind natural asset inventories
