Overview
Katie Warnell is a senior policy associate for the Ecosystem Services Program. She is a graduate of Duke University’s Master of Environment Management program with a concentration in ecosystem science and conservation and was awarded a geospatial analysis certificate. She has served as an intern at the Triangle Land Conservancy and as a research tech with the Duke University Superfund Research Center. She has conducted research on South Africa’s bats with the Organization for Tropical Studies and was involved in a DukeEngage project on fish farming in Ecuador.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Senior Policy Associate
Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability,
University Institutes and Centers
Recent Publications
Mapping the Ecological Toll of Hurricane Helene and Recovery Efforts in Western North Carolina
Report · July 15, 2025 When Hurricane Helene struck western North Carolina in September 2024, the damage to homes, roads, and communities was devastating. Recovery will take years and is expected to cost more than $59 billion. But people weren’t the only ones affected—so were ra ... Open Access Link to item CiteEvaluation of Publicly Accessible Nature-Based Solutions Databases as Sources for Evidence of Effectiveness
Report · July 24, 2024 Nature-based solutions (NBS) are “actions to protect, sustainably manage, or restore natural or modified ecosystems to address societal challenges, simultaneously providing benefits for people and the environment” (White House Council on Environmental Qual ... Open Access Link to item CiteDepartment of the Interior Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap
Report · December 11, 2023 This comprehensive resource, created in collaboration with the US Department of the Interior, is a first-of-its-kind reference for implementing nature-based solutions (NBS). Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage, or restore natu ... Open Access Link to item CiteRecent Grants
NC CPRG implementation grant - coastal program design/project selection and research coordination
ResearchResearch Associate · Awarded by North Carolina Coastal Federation · 2025 - 2030Atlantic Conservation Coalition CPRG Implementation Proposal
ResearchResearch Associate · Awarded by NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources · 2024 - 2029High-resolution mapping of drainage ditches in eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia for wetland restoration planning and saltwater intrusion vulnerability assessment
ResearchResearch Associate · Awarded by NC Department of Environmental Quality · 2025 - 2026View All Grants