When it comes to structural design, engineers have long taken inspiration from nature’s geometry and resilience. But what if the next frontier isn’t just drawing from nature – it’s building with it?
That’s the question driving a new $3 million research grant awarded to the University of Oklahoma’s Center for Restoration of Ecosystems and Watersheds (CREW). Funded through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineering with Nature program, the five-year project will explore how nature-based infrastructure solutions – from wetlands to grasslands – can strengthen critical infrastructure while boosting biodiversity, water quality, and climate resilience.
“Infrastructure isn’t just roads and bridges and dams; it’s also wetlands, rivers and forests,” said Robert W. Nairn, Ph.D., CREW director. “We’re working to understand the services that these types of natural infrastructure provide to society.”
Nature-based solutions in action
Unlike conventional approaches such as concrete levees or floodwalls, natural infrastructure harnesses living systems to deliver long-term performance and cost efficiency. Wetlands, for instance, can slow storm surges, filter pollutants, and provide habitat – all while sequestering carbon.
The OU team will focus on three core areas:
- Ecosystem processes – how plant and soil systems improve resilience.
- Geotechnical engineering – examining how root structures stabilize landscapes.
- Water resources modeling – predicting the performance of hybrid natural–engineered systems.
To do this, researchers will deploy drone-based aerial sensing, high-resolution mapping, and lab-scale testing. The aim: generate the hard data engineers and policymakers need to evaluate the long-term ROI of designing with nature.
Why it matters now
As U.S. infrastructure ages and extreme weather events become more frequent, interest in climate-resilient infrastructure planning has surged. Natural solutions promise not just ecological benefits but also cost savings, reduced maintenance, and improved community resilience.
“Building resilience is at the core of this work,” said Dayton M. Dorman, postdoctoral researcher in environmental engineering at OU. “The question becomes: do we keep doing what we’ve always done, or do we use natural systems to augment failing infrastructure?”
The $3M grant builds on an earlier $2.25M award in 2021, signaling growing momentum for integrating nature-based engineering practices into mainstream planning.
Designing a prosperous way forward
While the concept of blending natural and built environments is as old as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, today’s push comes with modern urgency: economic pressures, climate risk, and the need for sustainable growth.
“We need to find a better way,” Nairn said. “A prosperous way down – a way to work with nature rather than against it.”
With new tools to measure effectiveness and value, the OU research team hopes to turn that vision into a blueprint for the future of infrastructure.
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