Implementation | PANORAMA

Implementation of experimental restoration techniques

Blanket bog on Winney's Down before (left) and after (right) restoration

Dartmoor National Park Authority

The Dartmoor Mires Project explores the effects of restoration work on degraded areas of high quality blanket bog, using experimental, low-key gully-blocking techniques to reduce erosion and promote regeneration of moorland bog vegetation. All sites selected within the pilot project are subject to erosion encroaching onto high quality blanket bog on peat up to seven meters in depth. To slow and ideally reverse peat loss, peat from within and immediately around the gullies is used to form small blocks across the gullies. Rainwater is held behind these, forming a series of small shallow pools enabling the water table to recover in previously degraded areas. This also protects the bog from being damaged where it is still in good condition. The pools provide ideal conditions for bog plants to naturallyr ecolonise. Only peat/peat turves are used to form the blocks within the gullies, ensuring a low impact, unobtrusive result. The aim is that all remaining unvegetated peat will be covered by water following rainfall. The performance of the peat-only technique was assessed and will continue to be monitored in the coming years to potentially encourage its application in other areas where similar erosion is threatening the blanket bog.

The restoration plans were developed by a wide range of partners to ensure that historic, biodiversity, recreation and military interests were accounted for. Individuals who used the sites for grazing were also included in planning to reduce conflicts. The contractors conducting the restoration activities were under constant supervision by project staff, and utilised machinery that is specially constructed for work on bogs to exert low ground pressure and avoid damages to the bog surface.

Restoration work requires the by and support of many stakeholders, particularly land users and owners. A lack of inclusive and joint decision-making resulted in some conflict and dissatisfaction among some stakeholders.

Implementation

Local

http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/lookingafter/laf-naturalenv/dartmoormiresproject/mir…

Transforming the water body to nature-like banks

Renaturation of Heerener Mühlbach

Source: Anke Althoff, Lippeverband

Given the history of the Ruhr region, the Heerener Mühlbach was a canalised water body used as an open wastewater system. Conducting a mixture of waste and storm water in a straight concrete bed, the water body got classified as heavily modified according to the EU Water Framework Directive and required that a number of problems be resolved. Discharges of wastewater in the stream derogated the ecosystem tremendously and the concrete bed of the water body and the specific management of the banks harmed biodiversity. Another problem was the dangerous shape of the canal which prohibited the recreational use of the water body. And finally, bad smell regularly disturbed the neighbourhood. As a first essential step towards ecologic enhancement, a sewer pipe was placed underground along the river. The concrete bed was then removed (apart from few exceptions, e.g. under bridges), which led the river to flow on a new sole that was higher and wider than before and meander where possible. The hard banks were converted into nature-like banks. The initial plantation is complemented by wild and natural vegetation: green plants have the chance to flourish along the blue water body.

A precondition for the nature-like development of the water body was the separation from waste water and clean surface water. Thus, the construction of the underground sewer was the absolute necessary first step. For the development of biodiversity, it was important to give as much room to the water body as possible; adjoining property was thus included in the creation of wetlands. Ultimately, the support of the community and decision-makers made the planning and implementation possible.

In other locations where water bodies were ecologically enhanced by the water board, too much initial vegetation was planted shortly after completion of the construction works. As nature develops itself as soon as the conditions are good, the vegetation grew to such an extent that the trees and shrubs required almost the full amount of water coming from the water body, turning the habitat into a purely green corridor without open water. The green-blue corridor has now developed into a balanced ecosystem with the water body and adjoining wetlands.

Lippeverband (2013). The Future Cities Guide: Creating Livable and Climate-Proo…

Evidence-based problem solving

CONANP has been forming an alliance with local universities, research centres, and NGOs, to ensure that problem solving and regulations, are guided by scientific studies and hard evidence. Examples of key products or interventions, include: 1.“Forensic ecology” activities to understand the causes of mangrove salinization resulting from the construction of road infrastructure in the 1940s, and alternatives to reverse its effects in a practicable and cost-effective manner. 2. Scientific calculations of the capacity of local water bodies to support new tourist water-borne activities 3. Market research for new non-extractive productive activities.

Identify which academic actors can support key interventions Effective contacts and history of collaboration (academia, civil society & government) Effective inter-sectoral communication: not only between government and academic sectors, but also, and most importantly, being able to communicate research questions and results to local communities. Financial resources to leverage support from the academic sector and NGOs.

The role of intermediaries between the academic sector and communities is of utmost importance for the success of this type of building block. This role can be most ably played by individual consultants and NGOs who have the capacity to effectively interpret and communicate the results of scientific knowledge to local people. The intermediaries need to be able to facilitate the flow of traditional knowledge and local information back to the academic sector. It is very important to ensure that studies are properly carried out within the local context and with the maximum of relevant information available. It is of enormous help for a governmental agency to be able to assign, to the collaborative activity behind this building block, skilled staff who can judge the relevancy and quality of the scientific knowledge being offered by the academic community. Not all scientific knowledge is of the same quality or practical relevance.

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Increasing markets for local sustainable products from the mangroves

CONANP has supported the access to markets for sustainable products available from the mangroves, such as the mangrove-flower honey. This creates new sources of income for local communities (creating further adaptive capacity for them), and generating increased interest in the sustainable maintenance of the mangroves. An important agent for the implementation of this building block has been the Civil Association “Amigos de Sian Ka’an” who have helped to identify and strengthen points of sale for new products. CONANP has supported this building block by: a) Identifying potentially profitable niche products that are already being produced in Sian Ka’an b) Training local communities in the commercialization of the following niche products: (i.e. Mangrove flower honey & Pitahaya jam). c) Developing strong collaboration with actors such as the “Amigos de Sian Ka’an” who can open up new markets, otherwise unknown to CONANP.

To count on trained CONANP field workers to be able to identify potential niche products based on traditional uses of the mangrove. To count on existing capacities and traditional knowledge related to the production of high value niche products; To be able to have a clear link and access to new markets for these traditional products; Evidence-based business models for the successful commercialization of niche mangrove products; Effective communication and collaboration between governm

It is important to factor into business models the fact that niche products based on the mangrove will also be affected by climate change, and to plan adaptive strategies accordingly to mitigate the risk. The mangrove flower honey, for example, will be affected by erratic rainfall patterns. It is not easy to provide access to new markets for new niche products, therefore resources should be focused in this area; Local people have a desire to reduce the risk of losing short-term sources of income, and tend to be more risk-adverse to adapting their productive activities. Before any investment in new productive activities , the communities have to be able to trust, and have evidence, that these new activities are practicable and potentially profitable; It has to be recognized that basic capacities for managing businesses might be very low in marginalized communities. It is therefore essential to support targeted capacity development.

Implementation

Local

Increasing the adaptive capacity of local community fishing businesses

CONANP is encouraging lobster fishermen to diversify into providing sport-fishing opportunities for local tourists, rather than relying on just selling lobsters to local and regional hotel. This makes the most of a competitive advantage in the sports-fishing industry: sports fishermen are attracted to the region by the diversity of species, desiring the challenge of catching a range of such varieties, rather than one big one. CONANP is supporting this diversification in the following ways: Supporting the expansion of local fishing cooperatives into tourist service operators aware of the importance of the maintenance of local ecosystems and in following CONANP regulations; Providing capacity development to these cooperatives in the area of touristic business development and administration Mediating between cooperatives and resolving conflicts through regulation and norm setting (for example, in the quantity of launches that can take tourists out, per day)

To have or build consensus and commitment within and between communities about the type of touristic services offered. Build upon existing structures (such as fishing cooperatives) of social cohesion, leadership and organization to support negotiations and problem solving, as well as enabling communication and interaction between actors; Availability of scientific evidence to design norms for the sustainable implementation of new touristic activities.

It is very useful and relevant to have reliable scientific studies, and solidly-researched business models, to support local training and design of new touristic business opportunities; Local people tend to be apprehensive about the risk of losing short-term sources of income; therefore they tend to resist any change in their productive activities. Before any investment in new productive activities, the communities have to be able to trust, and have solid evidences that these new activities are practicable and potentially profitable. It is of vital importance to make use of existing social structures or organizations (i.e. cooperatives) to generate, lead and manage new productive activities; Managerial skills and knowledge might be limited in marginalized and rural communities. Therefore, it is essential to support capacity development in this area. For example, how to sell their services, as well as how to account for and manage successful businesses.

Implementation

Local

Thinking “out of the sector”: Intelligently targeted payments for key actors

CONANP decided to make use of targeted payments to create a local workforce to maintain and rejuvenate the mangroves, in order to support the fishing sector. An obvious target of the payments and a source of a workforce would be that same fishing sector. However, CONANP took the unusual step of thinking “outside of the sector”, and to involve a sector not linked at all to the problem: the local agricultural communities. CONANP noted that the livelihoods of this sector are under increasing pressure from loss of markets, reduction of soil conditions, and the loss of traditional levels of precipitation as a result of climate change. On the one hand, focusing on this sector has provided an extra source of income which increases the adaptive capacity of this group in the face of changes in rainfall patterns. On the other hand, the involvement of the agricultural communities, has had the benefit of introducing the latter to the problematic and importance of the mangrove ecosystems, creating a new ally in the fight for increased resilience. In other words it has supported inter-sectoral learning and collaboration between two groups that hardly ever interact, improving the capacity for adaptation to both sectors’ different climate risks.

Effective communication & awareness-raising by CONANP to generate a shared vision of the relevance of integrated mangrove ecosystem management among agricultural communities. Continued existence of financial resources to pay for the services of the agricultural communities supporting the rehabilitation of the mangroves; Knowledge and awareness of CONANP about the risks faced by the Mayan agricultural communities, and when they were in need it provided temporary employment.

Be prepared to “think out of the sector” for new potential allies. Instead of focusing collaboration on the usual allies, one should consider whether there are other sectors that could be involved in the EbA measure (mangrove rehabilitation) that could benefit from being involved (through reduction in their own climate risks, and increase in sources of revenue), and in return, can promote multi-sectoral collaboration and problem solving. Financial instruments or subsidies, when mismanaged, can distort local capacities for generating and maintaining sustainable livelihoods. The continued flow of such payments is not always possible in the long-term. Therefore, it is important that such payments are not deemed an end in themselves, but are applied in a manner that is supportive, and not substitutive, of local livelihoods.

Implementation

Monitoring

Local

Increasing the resilience of alternative local ecosystems that can provide habitats to lobster species

Whilst it is not easily possible to recover the sand bank habitat, it is possible to rehabilitate the local mangroves that have been in decline in recent years, in order to increase the capacity of habitat in the local mangrove to support the lobster in their early developmental stages. The latter has been concentrated on 480 hectares near the lobster fishing communities, and has as its goal the aim of reinvigorating the populations of maturing lobster going out to sea and thus increase these populations’ adaptive capacity in the face of climate hazards.

To count with research centres’ support and scientific guidance about the causes of the mangrove degradation, and practicable solutions to reversing this degradation; To count with economic and human resources to be able to employ local communities to carry out the rehabilitation work; To count with local community support to maintain the improvements that have been achieved

Communication & alliance building between the responsible government agencies, NGOs, and academic research centres is crucial for effective mangrove rehabilitation in complex situations in which mangroves are suffering from multiple climate, anthropogenic and hydrological hazards; Without good scientific guidance, it is possible to rehabilitate mangrove ecosystems in a manner that is sustainable, and benefits local livelihoods; Creating and maintaining channels within the mangrove system for facilitating natural flows between salt- and freshwater sources is a key component for reducing salinization problems, as well as making sure that a healthy mangrove is maintained; It is important to maintain the awareness that climate change not only presents direct risks to communities and ecosystems, but also highlights existing structural weaknesses in the social-economic and ecological system.

Implementation

Monitoring

Local

Mangrove Rehabilitation (protection & planting)

Mangrove planting

GIZ Vietnam, 2014

Mangrove planting

GIZ Vietnam, 2014

Besides the building of breakwater fences the solution consists of the rehabilitation of mangroves. The rehabilitation of mangroves aimed to strengthen areas where mangrove forests have either been cut down or have not developed their full natural strength. Since monoculture forests are often are often weak, with trees not growing very high and not being resilient to extreme weather the programme has developed a number of approaches to turn such uniform, artificial and weak forests into diverse, strong and natural forests that better protect the coast. Also mangrove forests are weakened through barren lands. To revive those lands, often caused by aquaculture ponds not managed sustainably, the programme has developed a technique to restoring the hydrology. By digging canals into the ground, water can enter the fields, bringing with it sediments.

Will be added later

Implementation

Local

Engaging stakeholders to raise awareness and support

An extensive and iterative process of stakeholder engagement was initiated during the design and execution of this project. The process involved a ‘rolling programme’ of consultation with local residents, representatives from the local school, practitioners, city staff and many others in order to build awareness about the SuDS retrofit, its benefits and costs, and to obtain public perspectives on the desired design. This included regular meetings, community workshops, and informal gatherings at sports and cultural events. The approach became increasingly open and consultative, with approximately one fifth of the tenants in the area having participated in dialogue meetings about the project. Amongst other topics, safety issues related to open water areas (e.g. retention pools) were discussed with residents as well as the potential loss of particular recreational opportunities in the area. In many cases, comments and concerns from stakeholders were taken into account and addressed in redesigned SuDS plans.

Venues for stakeholder exchange and approaches to engaging community members were a component of this project from the initial inception phase onwards. Integrating such considerations into what could be perceived as a controversial project is important for gaining and maintaining community support and avoiding potential opposition.

Providing stakeholders with a forum to express concerns, clarify questions and be involved in the process can be very valuable in gaining public support. Involvement of the residents in the design phase meant that there was little opposition to the project, and resulted in sense of ownership, empowerment and raised awareness among the residents. However, maintaining enthusiasm and engagement from the community outside of structured stakeholder consultation processes proved to be challenging.

Inception phase

Implementation

Local

Partnering for success: securing expertise and funding

A partnership between the Malmö housing company, Malmö water and city planners was a critical ingredient in the implementation of this project. Technical expertise was required from each of these partners to ensure appropriate design, and funding of the project was also collaboratively provided. Further components of this successful partnership included stakeholder engagement, the presence of sophisticated technical expertise, and a high level policy directive in support of experimentation. Understanding of the local ecosystems was not critical, but project designers had to possess a very detailed understanding of the frequency and severity of local floods.

Without the partnership between the Malmö water company, housing authority, and others, the funding for this project would not have been sufficient. Significant incentive to fund experimentation and implementation was provided by national and sub-national legislation, while the Green Roof initiative was financed through the EU LIFE programme.

It is key to clearly define the terms of a partnership (both short term and long-term roles) and appoint responsibilities before implementation in order to avoid later confusion and conflict. In the case of ecosystem-based approaches like SuDS in Malmö, it is also key to secure sufficient financing before the project starts to cover the entire duration of the project, including for maintenance and monitoring activities after implementation is completed. Highlighting the potential benefits which will be produced by the project for individual finance providers can be a useful tool in securing funding and increasing support.