Integrated River Management (IRM – also referred to as Integrated Floodplain Management or IFPM) is a whole-system approach to coordinating restoration, conservation, and preservation of waterways. River Network has been building a technical and social understanding of this strategy, working to identify and develop mechanisms for upstream-downstream connectivity, equitable development, policy and zoning efforts, and coordinating the many partners and decision-makers involved in river management. All of this, alongside existing research on Best Management Practices for improving waterways. We are excited to bring our initial findings forward and discuss the impact of IRM on planning and implementation efforts across the country. IRM requires the marriage of technical river restoration work with intentional social and political structures: in this session we’ll share what we’ve learned so far, and invite feedback on what needs we can continue addressing through our research.
Monday, January 29th, 2024
2:20 pm - 3:20 pm
Presenters
Hannah MicoRiver Network
Hannah joined River Network in 2020. She is the Resilient Communities Manager, assisting organizations across the Great Lakes and beyond to build capacity in themselves and their communities. Hannah studied Natural Resource Management and Photography at Grand Valley State University. After completing her degree in 2016, she dove right into environmental nonprofit work serving in various roles related to environmental education and community outreach for local organizations in West Michigan, as well as a stint working for a municipally-owned utility as a community education specialist. Outside of work, Hannah is an avid gardener and the co-founder of Midwest Movement Collective. She also serves on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for the City of Grand Rapids.
