NEBA board member Lisa Marr from Trout Headwaters(THI), and the company’s CEO Michael Sprague, will present to thousands of attendees already registered for the Esri GeoDesign Summit on February 9. They will be joined by Tye River Mitigation Bank owner Shannon Tillman to explore creating successful environmental opportunities and lasting ecological improvements for headwater streams in central Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.
Esri Geodesign Summit 2021 - Virtual
THI deployed significant big environmental data and geospatial analysis for active watershed restoration planning, analysis, design, monitoring and reporting. and continues to leverage critical technology, including Esri platforms alongside EcoBlu Analyst and Mitigation Analyst to achieve impact-driven results for this 10-year project.
“The success and lasting value of applied ecological restoration for streams, rivers, wetlands, and other habitats relies on routine, consistent processes for development, design, implementation and monitoring," says Sprague. “Sound science, robust data and powerful analytics blended with prudent adaptive management, and a smart feedback loop are the ‘silver bullet’ to ensuring long-term ecological success," he said.
Our planet and its inhabitants are facing challenges like few times before in history—climate change, resource scarcity, and massive migrations of our planet's inhabitants as well as local community challenges. Using geodesign, we aim to foster integrated and collaborative planning and design solutions for rapidly evolving landscapes in diverse contexts. We want to overcome challenges through forward thinking and creativity by merging people, data, methods, and technology. We'll emerge stronger and better prepared—resilient by geodesign.
Mitigation banking is often discussed in terms of credits—wetland credits, stream credits, or other units used to compensate for unavoidable environmental impacts. But the value of a mitigation bank extends far beyond the regulatory credit itself. Well-designed mitigation banks can provide a broad range of ecosystem services that benefit watersheds, wildlife, communities, and taxpayers.
Read MoreThe National Environmental Banking Association is proud to honor this year’s award recipients—leaders who exemplify innovation, integrity, and excellence in advancing mitigation banking and ecological restoration. These individuals and organizations are setting new standards for environmental outcomes, strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors, and inspiring the next generation of restoration professionals. 2026
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