Welcome to the Green Communities Guide

The Green Communities Guide is an essential tool to help communities plan and implement nature-based solutions and strategies to conserve water, protect water quality, preserve agricultural land, and protect critical open spaces and wildlife habitat.

The Forgotten Solution

Why Green Communities? Because nature is one of the most effective ways of combating climate change and nature-based climate solutions - actions that are in harmony with nature that incorporate nature conservation and support biodiversity protection - can provide cost-effective approaches to mitigate climate change.

A Complete Online Resource

Designed for use by municipal planners, developers, community groups and more, this living resource highlights innovative, nature-based approaches communities are taking to managing development with respect to its impacts on our natural systems. This Guide features innovative approaches to sustainable development including riparian management, xeriscaping, naturalization, storm water wetlands, brownfield reclamation, permaculture and much more, and includes recommended practices and project considerations as well as the business, nature and community-side of each nature-based solution.

Jump into the Guide

The Stewardship Directory

A valuable companion resource to the Green Communities Guide, this online directory helps connect community stewardship groups, organizations, businesses and governments to share their experiences and lessons learned in stewardship and natural resource management.

Browse the Directory

The Latest News

View all news

Restoring Nature Can Lead to Fewer Road Repairs

It's the season for flooding and road washouts. Not only can they create inconvenient, time-consuming detours and safety risks, they're also expensive to repair. But a study in Parkland County, AB, west…

The true value of trees and urban forests is much more than the sticker amount

Urban trees have assigned values in case they are damaged or killed, but experts say that these price tags on trees in communities do not reflect the true value. Trees are vitally important in mitigating…

New Resource: Small and Rural Communities Climate Action Guidebook

Came across a new resource for small to medium size municipalities and wanted to share as this could be of benefit to small and rural communities using the Green Communities Guide. This resource mentions…

Have your say on Calgary's drought resiliency

The City of Calgary is seeking feedback on its drought resiliency plan and preparedness. Climate change in Calgary and the surrounding watershed means warmer winters and less snow, compounded by hotter…

NBS can save lives through climate resiliency, WWF and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

WWF and IFRC released a joint report entitled Working with Nature to Protect People. According to the report, NBS could reduce the intensity of climate and weather-related hazards by more than 25%,…

New Case Study Added

Check out our newest case study on the Green Communities Guide - Conservation Easement & NBS in Residential Development: Edmonton. This case study looks at the Larch Park residential development and adjacent…