Ali Zoghi
Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Mitigation in Canadian Urban Centers (Ph.D. Candidate, Environmental Engineering)
Ali is a Ph.D. student whose research centres on evaluating the effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for mitigating urban flooding in Canadian cities. His project, titled “Nature-Based Solutions for Flood Mitigation in Canadian Urban Centers,” aims to assess how these solutions perform under varying climatic conditions and urban scenarios, as well as to explore the impact of different modeling approaches on the effectiveness of flood management strategies. Additionally, Ali’s research compares the performance of NBS across Canadian cities with diverse geologic and climatic conditions.
Ali’s interest in this project stems from his background in frequency and climate analysis and his work on flood mitigation using best management practices. His experience with a case study of combined urban and coastal flooding in Brooklyn, NYC, sparked his desire to focus more on urban floods in his Ph.D. studies. Upon finding a project that aligned perfectly with his past experiences and interests, he eagerly pursued the opportunity and has now been working on this research for the past two years. To conduct his research, Ali employs a combination of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling using the PCSWMM software to simulate urban flooding scenarios and evaluate the effectiveness of NBS. His approach includes lumped and semi-distributed modeling, machine learning techniques for forecasting land use and land cover changes, as well as sensitivity and cost analyses to optimize NBS designs. The choice of these methods was influenced by a thorough review of prominent studies in his field.
Ali collects data from various sources, including historical land use and land cover data, flow monitoring data from the City of Ottawa, hydrologic and hydraulic models from the municipalities of Ottawa, Thunder Bay, and Vancouver, and climate data from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). He analyzes this data using PCSWMM and applies machine learning algorithms to project future scenarios and evaluate NBS performance. Some of the challenges he has faced include the need for additional calibration and validation of existing models, the complexity of accurately simulating urban flooding across different scales and conditions, and the extensive data processing required to generate reliable projections. The expected outcomes of Ali’s project include a deeper understanding of how NBS can effectively mitigate urban flooding. His research is conducted within the framework of the National Research Council Canada’s Climate Resilient Built Environment (CRBE) initiative, funded by Infrastructure Canada (INFC). The findings from this project will be used to develop standards and regulations for implementing NBS in stormwater management across Canada.
Ali hopes that his project will help mainstream the adoption of NBS in urban flood management across Canada. By providing evidence-based recommendations and practical tools, he aims to influence urban planning practices and policies, contributing to the development of more resilient and sustainable cities. Through his research, Ali has gained a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in urban flood modeling and the importance of integrating various methods to address the multifaceted nature of flood risks. He has also learned about the potential of NBS to serve as a crucial component of sustainable solutions for stormwater management. Looking ahead, Ali plans to complete his Ph.D. and advance his career as a researcher. He is passionate about continuing his work in environmental engineering and envisions a future in academia, where he can contribute to research and education, or within government agencies like Environment Canada, where he can apply his expertise to develop and implement sustainable environmental policies and practices.
Nicole Yu
Balconies for Biodiversity: Exploring the Potential of Small Private Green Spaces for Biodiversity Conservation (Ph.D. Candidate, Biology)
Nicole Yu is a Ph.D. student whose research focuses on the potential of balcony gardens as a form of green infrastructure to support urban pollinators. Her project, titled “Balconies for Biodiversity – Exploring the Potential of Small Private Green Spaces for Biodiversity Conservation,” aims to identify effective design strategies for balcony gardens that can serve as habitats for urban pollinators. Additionally, the project seeks to engage balcony owners in active biodiversity conservation.
The inspiration for Nicole’s project came from her experiences in Hong Kong, where people often share photos of caterpillars and other insects found on their balcony plants. This sparked the idea that purposeful gardening on balconies could significantly contribute to urban biodiversity, allowing people to connect with nature while providing essential resources for pollinators in urban areas. The project is a participatory science initiative where balcony owners in Montreal can sign up to receive pollinator-friendly plants. Participants are given brief training on survey methods and are asked to conduct regular surveys throughout the summer to record the biodiversity on their balconies. To foster community engagement, a Facebook group has been created where participants can share their findings and experiences. Nicole chose this participatory approach because she recognized the growing interest among the public in contributing to nature conservation. By directly involving the public in research, the project not only gathers valuable data but also serves as an outreach opportunity to advocate for biodiversity-friendly gardening practices. Data is collected through survey sheets submitted by participants via a Google form, documenting plant growth and observed biodiversity. Nicole also conducts neighborhood surveys of butterflies to compare the biodiversity observed on balconies with the broader urban environment. This comparative analysis helps to determine how well balcony gardens support urban biodiversity.
One of the challenges Nicole faced was unexpected damage caused by squirrels, which led to high plant mortality early in the season. However, she successfully implemented a squirrel-proofing method using bamboo skewers, which has proven effective in protecting the plants. The expected outcomes of the project include the development of a gardening guide that provides practical advice on how to design balcony gardens to support pollinators. The findings will also inform urban planners and community groups about effective urban greening strategies for small spaces.
Nicole hopes that her project will inspire more people to adopt biodiversity-friendly gardening practices and understand the impact of their individual actions on local ecosystems. Ultimately, she envisions this project as a stepping stone towards broader participation in urban gardening and conservation efforts. Looking ahead, Nicole plans to continue the project next summer, incorporating more native plant species to expand the range of recommended balcony garden plants. She also hopes to extend the project to another city outside of Montreal to explore the effectiveness of balcony gardens in different urban contexts.