Join us on Sunday, May 24th from 6:00 - 7:30pm for a public lecture with Dr. Danika van Proosdij, Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, St. Mary's University and Director, TransCoastal Adaptations Centre for Nature-based Solutions
Tidal Wetlands as Ecosystem Engineers: Reimaging Resilience of Dykeland Communities in a Changing Climate
Dykes and aboiteaux have historically been used in estuaries around the world to convert low lying parcels of tidal wetlands to highly productive agricultural dykelands. However, in many areas, these dykes now increasing also protect valuable transportation and municipal infrastructure, residential or commercial development and sites of valuable cultural heritage. With rising sea levels and increased frequency of storm surges, existing dykelands are not always adequately protected given their age, dimensions, and lack of foreshore tidal wetlands. Long term resilience of dykeland communities requires a reimagining of what coastal protection looks like. Globally, tidal wetlands are being increasingly recognized as ecosystem engineers and a foundation for nature-based climate change adaptation efforts.
This presentation draws upon over two decades of experience in the application of managed dyke realignment and tidal wetland restoration in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. It presents long term monitoring and research on restoration trajectories and ecosystem engineering capabilities of tidal wetlands to reduce flood and erosion risk while providing valuable additional co-benefits of habitat creation, carbon sequestration and wave energy dissipation. Opportunities and constraints for the application of these more nature-based adaptation options are provided.
An international leader in her field and established pioneer in the implementation of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation, Dr. Danika van Proosdij has dedicated almost three decades to understanding how the biophysical processes of coastal ecosystems respond to natural and anthropogenic drivers of change, merging field studies and geomatics to visualize and model these changes. Ultimately to understand how these responses can be leveraged to foster ecosystem resilience while assisting communities adapt to climate change through nature-based solutions. She is a research professor and executive director of TransCoastal Adapations Centre for Nature-Based Solutions at Saint Mary’s University, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. In the past six years she has received $15.8M in direct research funding from federal, provincial and international agencies.
Location: McInnes Room, Dalhousie Student Union, 6136 University Avenue, Halifax
Free public lecture.
