Adam Skoyles, Senior Planner , Niagara Escarpment Commission, PhD candidate, School of Planning, University of Waterloo
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As climate change brings more extreme heat, flooding, and other challenges, Ontario municipalities are looking for ways to make communities more resilient to its impacts. Natural features such as trees, wetlands, and green spaces can help neighbourhoods reduce heat, manage flood risks, and improve residents’ quality of life. This presentation explores how these nature-based solutions are considered in residential development and highlights opportunities to make greater use of them in municipal planning.
Adam Skoyles is currently working as a Senior Planner at the Niagara Escarpment Commission and is a PhD candidate in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo. His dissertation research is focused on understanding nature’s role in residential development with the goal of identifying opportunities to support urban ecosystem services and foster greater urban resilience.
Photo: Emily Wassmansdorf