Nature Moves. Our Rules Don’t. That’s the Problem

reportsrestoration
Written By Danielle Bissett
 

By: Leanne Spaudling and Danielle Bissett

Through regulation or development, our nation seems determined to perpetuate the status quo of controlling nature by upholding outdated practices that include squeezing, fragmenting, barricading, walling, and fencing nature. This is happening despite credible research documenting the role restoring wetlands, reconnecting floodplains and rivers, and creating resilient coastlines plays in reducing risks associated with extreme weather and climate change.

While well-intended, the length and strain of our permitting processes alone do not accommodate for dynamic natural processes key to building resilience and reducing risks. The result? Flood-prone communities, for one, are even less prepared at the onset to deal with the shocks and stressors of disasters. Opportunities to provide multiple benefits for people and nature are often viewed as unique and innovative, requiring creative regulatory and funding approaches. However, working with nature has been proven to be one of the most comprehensive and cost-effective ways to increase resilience. And as each disaster hits, the urgency for more nature-based solutions (NBS) for resilience increases, as does the price tag of not taking proactive action.

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Danielle Bissett

Danielle Bissett is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner and Assistant Director of Restoration Policy at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, which she joined at the end of 2023. In her current role on the Restoration Team, she applies her practitioner experience to improve permitting processes and policies, accelerating high-quality restoration projects. Before joining EPIC, Danielle led restoration efforts at NYC Parks’ Natural Resources Group and Billion Oyster Project. At NYC Parks, she collaborated with partners and community groups to implement the Bronx River Intermunicipal Watershed Plan—a comprehensive ecological restoration approach that improves physical, ecological, and social conditions while reducing environmental stressors to the river and riparian areas. While working for Billion Oyster Project, Danielle played a pivotal role in shaping and advancing oyster reef habitat restoration in New York City. As Director of Restoration, she led and scaled the Restoration Department and strategically established several initiatives to assist the recovery of self-sustaining oyster populations in New York Harbor, which relied heavily on collaborative partnerships and a multi-habitat restoration approach. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy from Bard College’s Center for Environmental Policy and a dual Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from Adelphi University.

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