Taking into account the climate change prediction, the Netherlands has developed recently an important programme of coastal defense (The Weak Links project) against flooding risk and sea-level rise with an innovative approach: strengthening the coast with ‘soft’ solutions and addressing the spatial quality of the coast, e.g. recreation and socio-economic activities, as well as the natural environment as an asset, counting on local entrepreneurial initiatives and involving local schools in the project. Innovative techniques to protect the coastline include sand nourishment and a new experimental technique called ‘sand engine', combined with dyke expansion, taking into account the land-sea dynamics. In West Zeeland Flanders, a region confronted with socio-economic problems, this governmental coastal defence project was an opportunity to improve spatial quality through a land redevelopment plan (The Waterdunen project) via nature restoration, allowing local entrepreneurship to develop cross-sectoral recreational business combining nature and tourism, and a research centre focus on soil salinization, a phenomenon increasingly occurring in the region.
The Coastal Laboratory proposes innovative practices regarding saltwater aquaculture on land and salty agriculture (i.e. lavender, sea kale), a good example of land-sea synergy.
The Green-Win project highlights the benefits of nature-based solutions for coastal defense, taking as an example a beach nourishment project in the Delta region (Sophiastrand area). Compared to the conventional options, beach nourishment created additional co-benefits through increased attractiveness of recreational opportunities by increasing the beach width (i.e. development of new water sports activities, construction of new beach houses), improved the environmental quality, and consequently the number of tourists. Such co-benefits can increase economic activity, generating tax revenues, which in turn lead to leveraging of the overall public investments in the project. Because of environmental and economic positive side-effects, the beach nourishment solution got economically more attractive than conventional solutions. It is a good example of how a flood risk and coastal defense management project through nature-based solutions became an opportunity for cross-sectoral collaboration and business development.
In terms of flood risk protection in the region, the THESEUS project, included in the OURCOAST EU database, brought new insight and helped develop innovative tools and business solutions for coastal and flood risk management and mitigation. The project consortium developed a Decision Support System (a DSS) to help decision-makers and practitioners design sustainable coastal protection strategies (see website) and proposed an innovative approach for coastal defense via a barrier system in the sea which will also produce electricity using wave reusable energy (THESEUS consortium, 2009), e.g. taking advantage of the sea properties to protect the land. The THESEUS consortium gives also some lessons learned and policy recommendations in terms of risk management and mitigation: firstly the lack of awareness among the population at risk points that environmental hazards and risks should be included in public education programs to improve community resilience. Secondly, there is not one solution in risk management but rather mixed solutions to maximise cost-effectiveness and flexible strategies, including cross-sectoral activities and ecological protection measures (green infrastructures). A risk management strategy can be used as an opportunity for sustainable redevelopment plans. Finally, the consortium suggested, among others, applying a multi-stakeholder approach to risk governance.
Another example in the Delta region of how flood protection management projects can offers opportunities for redevelopment via alternative and innovative practices is given by the Alfa project in his report on “Water Friendly Land Management” which collected best practices on combining farming and forestry with flood protection. The programme ‘Room for the River’ developed alternative solutions in flood risk management by allowing regular river flooding of the land in a water-friendly land management approach, involving local and regional authorities (municipalities, provinces, and water boards) and farmers. Allowing land flooding upstream will reduce the flood risk downstream, in coastal areas. Particularly interesting is the example of a water-friendly organic farm which includes an educational centre to raise local awareness for flood management and regional/national awareness amongst professionals for the possibilities of combining farming nature and flood management. Moreover, including art as an important factor on the property and in the visitors' centre has been a distinguishing trait, that offers opportunities, and has helped to create considerable publicity for the whole project. This is another example of how a flood risk management strategy at a river basin scale could increase coastal-rural collaboration and land-sea synergies via cross-sectoral projects, thus implying awareness programs and nature-friendly solutions.
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Taking into account the climate change prediction, the Netherlands has developed recently an important programme of coastal defense (The Weak Links project) against flooding risk and sea-level rise with an innovative approach: strengthening the coast with ‘soft’ solutions and addressing the spatial quality of the coast, e.g. recreation and socio-economic activities, as well as the natural environment as an asset, counting on local entrepreneurial initiatives and involving local schools in the project. Innovative techniques to protect the coastline include sand nourishment and a new experimental technique called ‘sand engine', combined with dyke expansion, taking into account the land-sea dynamics. In West Zeeland Flanders, a region confronted with socio-economic problems, this governmental coastal defence project was an opportunity to improve spatial quality through a land redevelopment plan (The Waterdunen project) via nature restoration, allowing local entrepreneurship to develop cross-sectoral recreational business combining nature and tourism, and a research centre focus on soil salinization, a phenomenon increasingly occurring in the region.
The Coastal Laboratory proposes innovative practices regarding saltwater aquaculture on land and salty agriculture (i.e. lavender, sea kale), a good example of land-sea synergy.
The Green-Win project highlights the benefits of nature-based solutions for coastal defense, taking as an example a beach nourishment project in the Delta region (Sophiastrand area). Compared to the conventional options, beach nourishment created additional co-benefits through increased attractiveness of recreational opportunities by increasing the beach width (i.e. development of new water sports activities, construction of new beach houses), improved the environmental quality, and consequently the number of tourists. Such co-benefits can increase economic activity, generating tax revenues, which in turn lead to leveraging of the overall public investments in the project. Because of environmental and economic positive side-effects, the beach nourishment solution got economically more attractive than conventional solutions. It is a good example of how a flood risk and coastal defense management project through nature-based solutions became an opportunity for cross-sectoral collaboration and business development.
In terms of flood risk protection in the region, the THESEUS project, included in the OURCOAST EU database, brought new insight and helped develop innovative tools and business solutions for coastal and flood risk management and mitigation. The project consortium developed a Decision Support System (a DSS) to help decision-makers and practitioners design sustainable coastal protection strategies (see website) and proposed an innovative approach for coastal defense via a barrier system in the sea which will also produce electricity using wave reusable energy (THESEUS consortium, 2009), e.g. taking advantage of the sea properties to protect the land. The THESEUS consortium gives also some lessons learned and policy recommendations in terms of risk management and mitigation: firstly the lack of awareness among the population at risk points that environmental hazards and risks should be included in public education programs to improve community resilience. Secondly, there is not one solution in risk management but rather mixed solutions to maximise cost-effectiveness and flexible strategies, including cross-sectoral activities and ecological protection measures (green infrastructures). A risk management strategy can be used as an opportunity for sustainable redevelopment plans. Finally, the consortium suggested, among others, applying a multi-stakeholder approach to risk governance.
Another example in the Delta region of how flood protection management projects can offers opportunities for redevelopment via alternative and innovative practices is given by the Alfa project in his report on “Water Friendly Land Management” which collected best practices on combining farming and forestry with flood protection. The programme ‘Room for the River’ developed alternative solutions in flood risk management by allowing regular river flooding of the land in a water-friendly land management approach, involving local and regional authorities (municipalities, provinces, and water boards) and farmers. Allowing land flooding upstream will reduce the flood risk downstream, in coastal areas. Particularly interesting is the example of a water-friendly organic farm which includes an educational centre to raise local awareness for flood management and regional/national awareness amongst professionals for the possibilities of combining farming nature and flood management. Moreover, including art as an important factor on the property and in the visitors' centre has been a distinguishing trait, that offers opportunities, and has helped to create considerable publicity for the whole project. This is another example of how a flood risk management strategy at a river basin scale could increase coastal-rural collaboration and land-sea synergies via cross-sectoral projects, thus implying awareness programs and nature-friendly solutions.
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Region: Netherlands
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]]>Coastbusters pilots -three different naturally occurring sediment-stabilizing reef concepts off the Belgian coast: seagrass/seaweed blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and sand mason worm (Lanice conchilega). This project gains knowledge for competitive valorisation of sustainable NID business opportunities and helps in knowledge building.
]]>Coastbusters pilots -three different naturally occurring sediment-stabilizing reef concepts off the Belgian coast: seagrass/seaweed blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and sand mason worm (Lanice conchilega). This project gains knowledge for competitive valorisation of sustainable NID business opportunities and helps in knowledge building.
]]>Coastbusters pilots -three different naturally occurring sediment-stabilizing reef concepts off the Belgian coast: seagrass/seaweed blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and sand mason worm (Lanice conchilega). This project gains knowledge for competitive valorisation of sustainable NID business opportunities and helps in knowledge building.
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