Facilitated by AIM Network

Municipalities are starting to recognize the value of natural assets like wetlands, aquifers, and urban forests, but aren’t sure how to effectively bring them into planning. This workshop gives you the tools to start integrating natural assets into service delivery and capital planning along with your built assets. The workshop includes one-on-one follow up support. The content can help beginners and those looking for more advanced natural asset planning advance their programs. 

Matt Delorme, P.Eng. of AIM Network will introduce a step-by-step approach to understanding and prioritizing natural assets alongside built infrastructure. Learn data collection methods aligned with national standards and best practices, built around a manageable and step by step approach that focuses on the right level of effort for the decisions you need to make. Build a data collection roadmap and assess a sample set of assets with AIM Network's risk and level of service frameworks.

This workshop goes beyond data. It focuses on the why - why natural assets matter, and what services they provide to your community.

Through hands-on activities, you’ll learn how to define and evaluate:

• Conventional services supported by natural assets, such as water supply, stormwater infiltration, or transportation reliability
• New service areas that are unique to natural assets, like biodiversity, habitat connectivity, and equitable access to green space.

What's in it for you?

You’ll leave with a clear roadmap to help your municipality:

• Identify which natural assets provide value and how to use that in assessing trade-offs with cost, other infrastructure investment and development needs
• Prioritize assets that are at risk or ideal for enhancement
• Make the case for protecting nature-based services in council discussions and funding decisions

Who should attend?

This session is designed for municipal staff, council, asset managers, public works, and planners who want to get started or go further with natural asset management. No technical background is required.