Natural Assets Management Project

The desired outcome of the NAM Project is to develop a clear, actionable plan that will help the RDN better understand, protect, and manage the natural assets that support community well-being and essential services.

The project is intended to:

• identify the benefits (services) that natural assets provide;
• estimate the value of those assets;
• assess current and future climate-related risks; and,
• establish priorities for protection, restoration, and stewardship.

This work will help strengthen long-term community resilience, support informed decision-making, and ensure natural assets continue to contribute to sustainable service delivery for future generations.

The project will also foster collaboration among First Nations, local governments, landowners, stewardship organizations, and residents, creating a shared approach to maintaining the environmental, social, and economic benefits provided by the region’s natural systems.

The NAM project is based on a process consisting of the following six steps:

	Step 1 - Determine the Current State of Natural Assets Understanding what natural assets exist across the region and where they are located. It includes updating the natural asset inventory using the most current data and mapping of forests, wetlands, aquifers, rivers, and parks.
	Step 2 - Assess Condition and Risks Evaluates the condition of natural assets and identifies risks that may affect them, including climate-related risks such as drought, flooding, wildfire, and development pressures.
	Step 3 - Evaluate Ecosystem Services Identifies and evaluates the services natural assets provide, such as water supply, flood protection, recreation, and climate regulation.
	Step 4 - Develop Management Options Explores policies, programs, and actions to protect, restore, and enhance natural assets.
	Step 5 - Engagement on Management Options Gathers input from the public and stakeholders to refine options and priorities.
	Step 6 - Develop a Climate Adaptation Plan for Natural Assets Brings together technical analysis and engagement findings into a comprehensive plan.

Forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers, and parks are natural assets that provide essential services like clean water, flood protection, recreation, and climate resilience to support community well-being. The NAM project is intended to help the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) better understand how these natural systems support communities and how to protect them for the future.

The NAM Project has the following goals:

	Goal 1: Understanding the value of natural assets: Gain a better understanding of the benefits natural assets provide like a clean water supply, recreational opportunities and climate protection and how important they are to everyday life.
	Goal 2: Identifying climate-related risks: This project will identify risks such as drought, flooding and ecosystem degradation so we can plan ahead and reduce impacts.
	Goal 3: Prioritizing protection, restoration, and management: The project will identify which natural assets and services are most important to protect, restore or manage.
	Goal 4: Providing cost-effective and resilient service delivery: Natural assets can provide services that might otherwise require costly infrastructure.
	Goal 5: Building Partnerships and Stewardship is Essential: The project supports working closely with First Nations, landowners, municipalities and community groups.

Climate change is increasing risks to natural areas such as drought, flooding, and wildfires, which place growing pressure on communities and infrastructure. Natural areas like forests, wetlands, and aquifers help reduce these risks by providing important services such as water storage, flood protection, and climate regulation.

These natural services have real value. When natural systems are degraded or lost, replacing them with engineered infrastructure such as pipes, water treatment systems, or flood control works can be costly to build, operate, and maintain.

This project has been initiated to better understand these risks and the value of natural asset services. It will also identify priorities for protecting and managing these assets for long-term resilience, cost-effective service delivery, and informed decision-making.