People and Projects Solving Freshwater Restoration Challenges

EcoAdvance European Project

Showcase category ➤ Freshwater Champion

NETHERLANDS

Marieke de Lange

Senior advisor ecology, Rijkswaterstaat Water Verkeer en Leefomgeving

EC / PolicyMakers / Funders / Government
My Projects

Project MERLIN (Mainstreaming Ecological Restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a Landscape context: INnovation, upscaling and transformation) has been funded in the EUH202 program (H2020-LC-GD21/01), and our studies have also been supported by the Basque Government (IT1471-22). Our team is especially grateful to the Gipuzkoa Province Council, the implementation partner of the project, whose contribution has gone well beyond the technical aspects of dam removal

  • Key project facts

     

  • What impact did these projects have on biodiversity, if any?

     

  • What work challenges did you face and what approach did you take to solve them?

     

    What lessons learned are transferable to other places/projects?
  • What is your biggest barrier and what are you trying to do about it?

My Focus and Approach
  • Lessons Learnt - Some recommendations for others?
    1. What’s most important:

      All work is people work.

    2. Always start by:

      Getting to know the person you are communicating with.

    3. What to do when things get difficult…:

      Take a step back, a deep breath, and try to make a fresh start at your problem.

    4. The biggest barrier and what I am trying to do about it:
      Conflicting interests of economy versus ecology.
My Journey
  • My journey:

    I started long time ago at Wageningen University to make this world a better and cleaner place.

  • My Education:

    • MSC in Environmental Sciences, PhD in Aquatic Ecology.

  • The Big Change:

    Improve understanding and educate/tell others about it.

  • Favourite part of the work I do:

    Being outdoors.

Interview

Key Topics:

Key Topics

These relate to specific topics (e.g. technical solutions; restoration activities etc.) addressed within the showcase materials.

  • Water management
  • WFD, Natura2000
  • NBS
  • Stakeholder engagement 
Prone2Success Factors Demonstrated:

Prone2Success Factors Demonstrated

These are the Prone2Success checklist factors which are highlighted within this showcase. More information on the Prone2Success checklist can be found here.

  • Measurable goals to improve ecological status
  • Supports WFD, NRL and other restoration policy goals
  • Communicate/engage with stakeholders from the outset
  • Obtain sufficient finance for all project stages
  • Ensure stakeholder understanding / education of restoration goals & benefits
  • Demonstrate specific ecological improvements/legal compliance / communicating results during and after the project
  • Take climate change into account
NRL Restoration Categories:

NRL Restoration Categories

These are the restoration categories (listed under Annex VII of the European Nature Restoration Law (NRL) which are relevant to this showcase.

  • [2] Improve hydrological conditions
  • [7] Re-naturalise river beds
  • [8] Restore natural sedimentation
  • [12] Assist migration of provenances and species
  • [22] Improve connectivity across habitats
  • [26] Restore fish spawning / nursery areas
Resources
Articles
  • As a PhD student (1995-1999) I was influenced by some of the authorities in aquatic ecology: Brian Moss (the river is the dustbin of the catchment), Marten Scheffer (alternative stable states and resilience thinking)
Presentations

Aanjagen van Nature
based Solutions
Perspectief Rijkswaterstaat

Podcasts

EP.1 – Introducing MERLIN // Large river and floodplain restoration on the Rhine Delta

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