How do we unlock the full value of green stormwater infrastructure? For Barbara Hopkins of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, it starts with proving the impact and building the workforce to sustain it.
As Executive Director of the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange, Hopkins leads a cross-sector community driving equitable GSI implementation across the U.S. and Canada.
Their new GSI Impact Hub, built with The Nature Conservancy and One Water Econ, helps professionals show decision-makers the economic co-benefits of projects — a key step in getting them approved.
But approval is only the beginning. Hopkins is tackling the long-term challenge of maintenance by convening a task force to define career pathways, align skills with training programs, and open doors for unemployed and underemployed people in low-opportunity communities.
“If we can do that, we’re going to marry two challenges — the critical problem of GSI maintenance and the need for good jobs,” says Hopkins.
Content in collaboration with the US Water Alliance from the 2025 One Water Summit.
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