Assessing the role of nature-based infrastructure in mitigating coastal erosion

Principle Investigator
Dr. Carisssa Brown, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Geography

Email: carissa.brown@mun.ca
Website: https://www.mun.ca/geog/people/faculty/cbrown.php

NRC Collaborator
Enda Murphy, Senior Research Engineer, Ice & Water Resources Team Lead / Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering

Project description

Nature-based (or green) infrastructure options have become increasingly common elements of climate adaptation plans, promoted as affordable, versatile, and environmentally friendly means of addressing climate/weather impacts. They also frequently provide additional health, environmental, aesthetic, and/or CO2 mitigation benefits.

There are no ‘one size fits all’ green infrastructure solutions; rather, effective solutions depend on a clear understanding of plant species used, the surrounding natural environment, and particular impacts that might be mitigated. This project will assess vegetation-based solutions to Newfoundland’s coastal erosion concerns through the integration of ecological field work and state-of-the-art modelling.

Requirements

The ideal PhD student for the proposed project would combine training in ecology/plant sciences and the GISciences.

Relevant skills include:

• Proficiency with statistical programming (e.g. R)
• Experience with GISystems & spatial modelling
• Experience or willingness to conduct field work in challenging environments (e.g., remote settings)
• Ability to identify plants in the field
• Knowledge of coastal processes