STRESSORS: Monitoring and Assessment of Urban Nature-based Solutions

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are sustainable solutions to managing urban flood risk whilst offering additional co-benefits (i.e. pollution control, public amenity value and 'eco-wilding' biodiversity benefits). However, it is often difficult to determine the effectiveness of GI features.

There is also a lack of inter-connectivity between NbS systems and more work is needed to ensure that we are ensuring maximum dual-functionality of soil retention (flood prevention) and water filtration (water quality) benefits. Monitoring these metrics, both in-field and within the laboratory is seldom conducted.

This PhD project will address this research gap by collecting, analysing and interpreting field-sampled and -monitored water quantity and quality parameters to determine multi-benefit, holistic system performance. This will be combined with citizen science methodologies to underpin hydroclimatic understandings of GI 'performance'.