Corridors for change: Exploring a multifunctional corridor concept for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and justice in Iowa

Abstract

<p>Corridors are usually designed for a specific function, yet are inherently multifunctional. These additional services are sometimes listed as co-benefits, but are rarely planned in the United States, nor are they leveraged to build cross-disciplinary teams, appeal to more diverse stakeholders, secure additional funding, or connect with local initiatives. If corridors were billed as vital infrastructure, if they were valued for their ecosystem services and contributions to climate change mitigation and adaptation, perhaps they would be easier to implement. This is especially true of areas where the dominant catalysts for corridors—wildlife and recreation—aren't as salient. In Iowa, for example, a state physically and politically dominated by agriculture, anything that occupies otherwise productive land is a hard sell. The following StoryMap asks what would happen if we were to bolster Iowa's de facto corridors, starting with rivers. Could this modest transformation pave the way to more resilient landscapes, economies, and communities?</p>