Whether you’re developing a new community-wide plan or making routine updates to your policies and bylaws, each is an opportunity to integrate natural infrastructure and natural assets into decision making.
But what do “good” plans and policies look like? How can communities treat nature as a part of their critical infrastructure? Take a leaf from Prairie leaders with these six examples of policies that create strong foundation for natural asset management.
1
Municipal Development Plan – Parkland County, Alberta
Parkland’s Municipal Development Plan outlines the vision for growth in the county over the next 30 years, including plans for residential development, agricultural land, employment, recreation, and natural systems.
What makes this plan strong:
Establishes a recognition of natural assets from the outset
Parkland defines their landscapes as part of their identify, highlighting that natural features play critical roles in maintaining their water systems as well as wildlife and habitat.
Includes overarching principles and objectives to deliver on their vision for natural assets
“Protect natural functions” is a direct objective in the plan; the county states it is responsible to protect the natural systems that provide food, habitat, water, and other functions that support the health and wellbeing of residents.
Actions listed under this objective include:
- All new development is Nature Positive, minimizing impacts on natural function.
- Actions listed under this objective include:
Links priority policy areas back to natural asset management and conservation
Natural area management is not siloed within the environmental section of the plan; importantly, natural asset management actions are included under policies areas for conserving agriculture, growth management, and efficient infrastructure service delivery.
See Parkland’s latest Municipal Development Plan
2
Asset Management Bylaw – City of Selkirk, Manitoba
Selkirk’s Asset Management bylaw establishes the city’s program to sustainably manage their capital assets, including renewal, repair and replacement. Importantly, Selkirk has integrated natural assets into this bylaw to ensure they are equitably included in decision-making alongside built assets.
What makes this bylaw strong:
Establishes a recognition of natural asset management from the outset
- The bylaw defines natural assets as “a naturally occurring land, water, air, or subservice feature which performs or supports the delivery of a municipal service”.
- Includes a commitment to maintain capital assets in the most natural, energy efficient, and reliable manner that costs the least to operate over the lifecycle of the asset.
Includes direct objectives that demonstrate how the vision will be achieved
- The bylaw recognizes the inherent value of natural assets in the delivery of municipal services that the city will (where practical) identify and manage natural assets in a similar manner as engineered assets.
- Another objective states “Where practicable, the City of Selkirk shall seek to substitute the use of Engineered Assets in situations where natural assets will achieve a comparable level of service.”
See the City of Selkirk’s Capital Asset Management Bylaw
3
Forestry Management Plan – City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert’s urban forest includes all trees and habitat within the city’s urban boundary, on public and private property. Noting that their urban forest provides a wide range of benefits and services to the entire community and faces a range of threats – from development to invasive species—the Forestry Management Plan guides actions to help improve tree health and diversity, minimize risks, and maximize benefits of a healthy and sustained urban forest.
What makes this plan strong:
Establishes the forest as a multi-beneficial asset from the outset
- The plan describes the urban forest for its role as a critical asset and provider of additional benefits. It specifically outlines environmental benefits (including carbon sequestration, slope stabilization), cost benefits (including energy savings as a result of shading the sun and dampening wind, property value enhancements), and socio-economic benefits (including psychological wellbeing, visual screening and pedestrian safety).
Includes direct, overarching principles related to natural asset management
- For example, under strategic goals the plan states: “Ensure that the urban forest is recognized as a critical municipal asset and infrastructure component through a long-term commitment to proactive management, adequate resource allocation and joint stewardship with the city and the community.”
4
Stormwater Management Strategy — City of Calgary, AB
The purpose of Calgary’s Stormwater Management Strategy is to support healthier, more resilient waterbodies and communities through proactive stormwater management by lowering risk, investing in infrastructure, and enhancing the health of receiving watercourses.
What makes this strategy strong:
Establishes a recognition and vision for natural assets from the outset
- Calgary’s vision for stormwater management immediately emphasizes that they are relying on both grey and natural infrastructure to maximize value for Calgarians; an overarching principle is that management will protect the environment and enhance the health of waterbodies.
Includes direct, overarching principles to uphold natural asset management
- The Strategy includes direct objectives that repeatedly recognize natural assets on par with grey infrastructure, including investing in green and natural infrastructure, and improving the operation and management of grey, green and natural infrastructure.
- Utilizing low-impact development is a cornerstone of Calgary’s strategy to promote an intentional shift to think of stormwater not as simply something to be managed but instead as an asset that can enhance the community and provide valuable co-benefits.
Includes objectives that demonstrate how the vision will be achieved
For example, under strategic actions it lists:
- Develop a Low Impact Development/Green Stormwater Infrastructure Program.
- Strengthen the integration of stormwater management policies, bylaws, strategies, guidelines, and targets to leverage co-benefit opportunities to enhance and protect natural assets.
- Create a proactive Operation and Maintenance Plan to address resourcing, training and design gaps for grey, green and natural infrastructure that will guide current and future business decisions.
See Calgary’s 2023 Stormwater Management Strategy
5
Comprehensive Urban Forest Strategy – City of Winnipeg, MB
Winnipeg’s Urban Forest Strategy is a 20-year plan to preserve, protect, and grow their urban canopy.
What makes this strategy strong:
Establishes a recognition of natural asset management from the outset
- In the introduction, it highlights that the urban forest provides critical ecosystem services and defines trees as a natural asset that is an essential part of the city’s infrastructure.
Includes direct, overarching principles that support natural asset management
- Explicitly states multiple benefits provided by trees that will be considered as a part of management, including environmental, physical, and socio-economic services.
- Trees are valued for their service provision; “Winnipeg’s trees are estimated to have a compensatory value of more than $3.3 billion, and store almost $40 million worth of carbon.”
Demonstrates importance of Indigenous perspectives, values and opportunities to support reconciliation when managing natural assets
- Fostering reconciliation with the Indigenous population is listed as a priority area. Specific actions to support this goal include collaboration on plant species selection and climate adaptation; revising planting and management actions in areas of significance as determined by the Indigenous community; and developing a cultural landscape plan.
Includes clear objectives that demonstrate how the vision will be achieved
- Priorities include assigning urban forest asset classes to Winnipeg’s corporate asset management plan; added trees and tree valuations to the asset management plan; and exploring opportunities to integrate trees and soil to meet stormwater management objectives.
6
Green Infrastructure Strategy – City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Saskatoon’s Green Infrastructure Strategy prepares and guides the city on enhancing and managing their green infrastructure network to deliver essential municipal services and maintain a healthy environment.
What makes this strategy strong:
Establishes a recognition of natural asset management from the outset
- The introduction highlights engagement with Saskatoon’s citizens and recognizes the high value they place on their natural spaces with regards to food production, active transportation, identity, and recreation.
Demonstrates the importance of Indigenous perspectives and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in reconciliation through natural asset management
- The strategy establishes the traditional context and history of First Nations and Métis people on the land and explicitly connects the goals of the strategy as part of the city’s commitment to further Indigenous partnerships and uphold the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action.
Links city-wide priority policy areas back to natural asset management and conservation
The strategy clearly distinguishes how the objectives of the Green Infrastructure Strategy mutually support other priority areas including transportation, recreation, agriculture, and water management. Key actions include:
- Increase access to and within the Green Network, with an emphasis on walkability and multi-modal transportation
- Integrate natural assets into the urban fabric while conserving ecosystem function
- As the city expands, incorporate wetlands and natural drainage paths into the storm water network in greenfield development areas
- Identify potential sites and partners to develop a food forest pilot project
- Identify how green infrastructure can increase the storm system’s capacity to respond to intense rain events
Looking for more inspiration?
Check out the Planning for Nature in the Prairies guide! Developed by NAI in partnership with Ducks Unlimited Alberta and IISD Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions, this guide includes policy examples and a best practices checklist to guide your planning process.
