16 Terra et Aqua | Number 124 | September 2011

ERIK VAN SLOBBE AND KRIS LULOFS

IMPLEMENTING “BUILDING WITH NATURE” IN COMPLEX GOVERNANCE SITUATIONS

ABSTRACT The second aspect is the growing sense of INTRODUCTION uncertainty actors experience as a result of Two governance aspects of modern coastal the longer time horizons of projects and as The place is Hindeloopen, a small town on engineering which seem to be of importance a consequence of the integration of a growing the IJsselmeer in the North of the to many coastal projects all over the world are number of functions to be served by the . It is April 2011. There is a tense considered here. Reflections on these two projects (including ecological ones). The atmosphere in the room. Inhabitants reiterate aspects are related to the context in which question is: how to deal with this uncertainty? their objections to the nourishment. projects take place. The first is the fragmen­ Their spokesperson presents a formal protest tation of decision-making and funding. The cases presented in this paper were letter. They have seen too many failing studied in the innovation programme Building interventions to improve the coast. They do These types of projects usually involve many with Nature, which runs from 2008 till the not want to gamble on the risk of another actors who need to collaborate in one way end of 2012. It is funded from different failure. They depend for their livelihood on or another. In order to understand how these sources, amongst which the Subsidieregeling recreation and new sand may destroy collaborations are constructed, the way in Innovatie­keten Water (SIW), sponsored by the swimming and surfing conditions. They call which the formation of coalitions of govern­ Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and upon the authorities not to issue the required ments, NGOs and stakeholders at multiple Environment, and contributions of the permits for the sand nourishment. scales must be examined. The question is: participants in the EcoShape consortium. what are the characteristics of such coalitions? The programme receives co-funding from The representative of the Building with Nature the European Fund for Regional Development consortium emphasises that measures are To do justice to this context, two cases of and the Municipality of Dordrecht. needed because the coast must be prepared the Building with Nature (BwN) innovation The authors express special thanks to their for water level rises in the future. That doing programme are presented. First, a number colleagues Anneke Hibma and Huib de Vriend nothing is not an option for the long term. of governance-relevant characteristics of the of EcoShape for their helpful comments and He assures them that nothing will be done BwN programme are introduced. The two corrections. against the wishes of the community. cases are then described, and in the last He invites the audience to join him in section some general lessons learnt from Above: The Sand Engine pilot project (seen here in designing feasible strategies and to this end them are formulated. The cases do not form April 2011) is part of the Building with Nature he puts maps of the coastal zone on the table. a representative basis for the conclusions, programme. It is located on the North Sea coast of but the narratives serve as illustrations of the Netherlands and will form a 21.5 million m3 artificial Hesitantly the first participants begin to governance aspects in the BwN programme sandy peninsula connected to the shore and rising indicate where earlier interventions took place as a whole. above high water. and what has gone wrong. One tells of old Implementing “Building with Nature” in Complex Governance Situations 17

ERIK VAN SLOBBE experiences and planning processes (BwN) innovation programme are presented. is an Associate Professor Integrated Water dominated by professional experts are not First a number of governance-relevant Management, Centre for Water & Climate automatically trusted any longer. Also civilians characteristics of the BwN programme are Team ESS-CC (Earth System Science- do have resources (for example, political introduced. Then two cases are described and, Climate Change), Wageningen University lobby, use of media and the conduct of legal in the last section, some general lessons learnt and Research Centre and is involved in proceedings) to slow down projects or even from them are formulated. The cases do not research on adaptive water management block implementation. And, last but not least, form a representative basis for the conclusions, in relation to climate change. He teaches the absence of unequivocal political control but the narratives serve as illustrations of sustainable watershed management and on projects has become a general governance governance aspects in the BwN programme integrated water management and is characteristic, as a result of the involvement as a whole. member of the programme committee of of multiple authorities and the fragmentation the Building with Nature innovation group. of decision-making, regulations and financing GOVERNANCE ASPECTS OF THE arrangements. BUILDING WITH NATURE INNOVATION PROGRAMME KRIS LULOFS Planning and design processes of infra­ Current coastal engineering practice is works at the School of Management and structural works are therefore often messy, dominated by a paradigm which is Governance, University of Twente, the with unexpected turns and changes. Project characterised by separation of ecological and Netherlands, specialising in governance initiators need to involve themselves in local socio-economic functions and by choices for and policy strategies, especially in the networks and to give due attention to hard infrastructures like dams, dikes, harbour fields of water management, climate sound communications and interactions. The fronts and dredged canals in change and corporate social responsibility. Hindeloopen project, for instance, involves under pressure. This often leads to sub- He is a senior member of the Netherlands many governmental parties and NGOs and is optimal solutions which fit poorly with the Institute of Government and within financed by five contributors. dynamics of the natural system. Nature itself Ecoshape manages the Governance-case, plays a secondary role in the design process, which relates to the feasibility in society of TWO GOVERNANCE ASPECTS OF at the expense of long delays during project the innovation “Building with Nature”. MODERN COASTAL ENGINEERING initiation and preparation. This article considers two governance aspects of modern coastal engineering which seem to A shift of this paradigm is needed. be of importance to many coastal projects all The challenge is to find cost-effective and sand shoals and failed nourishments and over the world. The first is the fragmentation sustainable (green) development strategies. breakwaters that have disappeared in the of decision-making and funding. These types Approaches which work with nature – rather waves. The local kite surf teacher and the of projects usually involve many actors, than against it. The urgency of this quest is harbourmaster prove to possess a wealth of who need to collaborate in one way or being recognised in many countries and much experiential knowledge on prevailing wave another. In order to understand how these experimentation and innovation is going on. and regimes and on sediment transports. collaborations are constructed, how coalitions These are compared to model results. of governments, NGOs and stakeholders at The Dutch €30 million Building with Nature multiple scales are formed must be examined. Innovation Programme (www.ecoshape.nl) By doing this the conversation develops into a The question is: What are the characteristics aims to take advantage of the opportunities more and more enthusiastic exchange about of such coalitions? offered by nature and is grounded in modern the coast. Both the professional and the local scientific insights as, for instance, eco- experts enjoy sharing their knowledge and The second aspect is the growing sense of engineering. BwN promotes solutions that learn from each other. After two hours the uncertainty actors experience as a result of reconcile the needs of society with the atmosphere has improved so much that the longer time horizons of projects and as a concerns for the environment. An integrated appointments can be made. The BwN consequence of the integration of a growing -based approach and stakeholder representatives promise to make a plan for a number of functions to be served by the involvement from the early stages of project coastal experiment, based on the outcome of projects (including ecological ones). The development onwards are essential features. the meeting, which will be discussed with the question is: How to deal with this uncertainty? local community again. This ecosystem-based approach boils down to: Reflections on these two questions are related 1. understand system functioning (“read” the This brief real-life history illustrates the to the context in which projects take place. ecosystem, the socio-economic system and importance of governance in the planning and Decision-making depends on local culture and the governance system), design of coastal projects in modern societies. the political situation and uncertainties are 2. plan a project or activity taking the system’s Citizens want to have a say in interventions related to the complexity of a project. present and envisaged functions into that influence their personal environment. To do justice to this context, the experiences account (combining functional and They often have relevant knowledge and of two cases of the Building with Nature ecological specifications), 18 Terra et Aqua | Number 124 | September 2011

3. determine how natural processes can be making and dealing with uncertainty. experiment in the northern Province of used and stimulated to achieve the project One objective is to monitor the progress of Friesland consists of three very small pilots. goals and others (using the power of nature), the adoption of Building with Nature ideas Table I presents a number of characteristics. 4. determine how governance processes can amongst authorities and experts in the be used and stimulated to achieve the Netherlands. This is done via analysis of FRISIAN COAST PILOT STUDY project goals (using the power structures documents (reports, media, interviews, etc.) Context in place), and by means of interviews. Also, use is made The IJsselmeer Lake receives water from a 5. monitor the environment during execution, of logs of people involved in the Building with delta branch of the River Rhine and discharges analyse the results statistically, make risk- Nature programme, itself. The presentations this under free flow into the Wadden Sea. In assessments and – if necessary – adapt the and analyses of the following case 1932, this freshwater lake was created by the monitoring programme and/or the project descriptions are based on preliminary results construction of an artificial dam (see the execution (monitoring and adaptive of this monitoring. separation of the North Sea and IJsselmeer management), and Lake in Figure 2) that separated the – then 6. monitor the environment after completion, The two cases saline – tidal embayment from the sea. so as to assess the project’s performance, The two cases (see locations on Figure 2) are The objectives then were threefold: to create to learn for the future (experience selected because they both implement sand new land for food production, to increase harvesting, knowledge development) and, nourishments on the shore face. The sand is safety against flooding by shortening the if necessary, to adjust the project design. moved to the using natural processes, coastline by a factor of 10 and to create a i.e., wind, waves, currents and trapping by freshwater reservoir. The Building with Nature Programme aims vegetation. The objectives of both experimental to deliver: approaches are: flood safety, maintenance of As a result of the reports of the Intergovern­ (i) hands-on experience from pilot an eroding coast, development of ecological mental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on experiments, values and recreation. Because of the climate change, the Netherlands Government (ii) knowledge on governance, ecological, multifunctional and experimental nature, commissioned a study into the question of engineering and monitoring aspects of complex decision-making and legal procedures whether the current national water and flood building with nature and are part of the experiments and project protection systems are sufficiently robust for (iii) practice-oriented guidelines on “Eco­ managers have to deal with uncertainties the next 100 years (Delta Commission 2008). dynamic Development and Design” (EDD). about how the experiments evolve in time. This study concluded that one must prepare for a maximum sea-level rise of 1.30 metres in Figure 1 provides an overview of typical Although both cases share the same the next century. And as fresh water needs Building with Nature solutions for a variety objectives, there are big differences between are expected to increase in the future, the of marine and riverine environments. the two. The most important is the difference reservoir function of IJssemer Lake must be in scale. The Sand Engine Delfland in the reinforced. All in all the commission advised Part of the research activities of the Building Province of South Holland is one very large to prepare for a lake level rise of 1.50 m by with Nature programme concerns decision- intervention whilst the sand engine the year 2100. This conclusion was accepted by the Netherlands Government as a

Soft solutions Hard solutions sustainable, forward-looking strategy. But it led to strong criticism from the authorities and inhabitants of communities along the lake.

The coast of the Frisian IJsselmeer Lake has Tidal adapted a relatively constant level since its closure in 1932. If the lake level were to rise Galgeplaat Delfland coast ES: oyster reefs Eastern Scheldt shoal nourishment Sand Engine as shore protection underwater garden at once to the proposed height, valuable historic cities bordering the lake would face flooding threats. Industrial sites, recreational facilities and valuable natural areas that have developed since the closure would disappear. Non-tidal Moreover, such a rise of water level would

IJsselmeer Markermeer Noordwaard: willow ‘rich levee’ affect the groundwater flows and drainage of foreshore nourishment eco-levee forest foreshore the surrounding polders. And finally, people felt a sense of injustice, as the costs of water- Focus on ecosystem functioning Focus on infrastucture development level rises would bear on the regions of Frisian Figure 1. Examples and positioning of Building with Nature in tidal and non-tidal environments­ and on a scale of coastline whilst the benefits of more freshwater human versus ecosystem dominance. would go to other parts of the country. Implementing “Building with Nature” in Complex Governance Situations 19

Table I. A Comparisom of Some Characteristics of the Two Cases. Sand Engine in South Holland Sand Engine in Friesland Location On the North Sea coast of the Province of South Holland. In the Province of Friesland, on coast of the IJsselmeer Lake (a former embayment turned into a lake by a closure dam built in 1932) in the north of the Netherlands. Context To compensate for the on-going erosion of the North Sea The water level in the lake is expected to rise as a result of coast, as an alternative to smaller, more frequent nourish­ sea-level rise and may undergo larger variations resulting ments. The sand engine will act as a sand source for several from its function as a freshwater reserve. This may affect the decades. coastal wetlands and the economic functions vested in them. Dynamics North-going tidal and wave-driven residual currents and Predominantly south-westerly wind and waves. predominantly south-westerly and waves. Intervention 21.5 million m3 shore face nourishment in the form of a Three pilots, each including a nourishment of 20,000 m3 sand peninsula that extends about 1 km into the sea (Figure 5). 200 m from the shore. In pilot 1, a semi- permeable row of piles is built to promote sedimentation (Figure 3). Features • Is an alternative to smaller, more frequent nourishments Maintains the shallow foreshore with the purposes of: • Avoids repeated ecological disturbance and enhances • augmenting the natural dynamics ecological quality • avoiding dike strengthening • Creates new recreational opportunities • creating new recreational opportunities Planning First ideas before 2000; construction 2011; Initiation and initial negotiations 2009; functioning: several decades implementation 2011-2012; functioning: 3-4 years

Clearly, what was considered a sustainable experience and partly to demonstrate a (Wetterskip Fryslan) and the director of the strategy at a national level conflicted with constructive attitude to the national NGO It Fryske Gea. Wetterskip Fryslan covers images of sustainable futures at provincial and Government, even though the underlying the entire area of the Province of Friesland; municipal levels. goals were opposite. A paradoxical situation It Fryske Gea manages designated nature emerged: The BwN pilot study was supported protection areas and culture heritage of the Coalition formation by the national Government with the aim of province. Driven by the wish to be innovative Faced with this context of conflict, the Building facilitating raising the lake level, whereas the and to push innovation and regional with Nature (BwN) programme was asked by regional authorities participated in the study economies, these three supra-local authorities the national Government to initiate a pilot study with the goal of stopping the rise. formed a coalition with BwN. Influenced by along the Frisian coast. The Ministry wanted to the thinking about climate adaptation, they send a positive signal to the region and at the Initially the BwN representatives sought understood that complex planning issues same time wanted to investigate whether support among Frisian officials and local might arise in the coming decades, which indeed an adaptation of the coasts to a slowly experts. The civil servants were interested in would call for new approaches. rising lake water level would be possible. participation, but without a regional coalition of authorities and decision-makers in favour Usually such a long time horizon is not part With this request, representatives of BwN of the idea they hesitated to become an active of an authority’s considerations. One of the approached the Frisian governments to seek advocate for BwN. As civil servants they strategies applied was to let them philosophise collaboration. During talks it became clear perceived their role as that of executing about the potential role of BwN in a video that that the interest to participate amongst existing policies and priorities and not was put on YouTube. This video turned out to regional parties diametrically opposed those introducing new ways of thinking. On top be an important motivating factor during of the national Government. Local actors saw of that there was always the looming conflict encounters and meetings. It showed the the urgent need to join the policy processes with national authorities. This made the political superiors in favour of the BwN and political deliberations about the lake, but initiator of the BwN pilots reconsider his experiment and experts and policy-makers the goal was to stop plans to raise the lake strategies and seek a coalition that would saw this as a legitimisation for their own level. Frisian parties realised that they had signal the need for change at a convincingly support. The video prepared the ground for neglected the management of the lake and influential level. BwN to connect to other relevant actors and consequently did not know what the actual resources and it can be considered the management issues were. He contacted a group of authorities that now entrance ticket to the deliberation process can be considered “champions” for building with stakeholders to specify the exact location Participation in the BwN pilots was considered with nature: The deputy of the Province of and details of the pilot and the formal important, partly to enhance knowledge and Friesland, the chair of the Water Board procedures in order to meet regulations. 20 Terra et Aqua | Number 124 | September 2011

In addition, the interests of a local entities require knowledge from different sides, The exchange of knowledge between these needed to be served. It Fryske Gea wanted because they are relatively unknown territory: experts was facilitated by a so-called to revitalise its natural coasts by initiating the The creation of foreshores using natural Community of Practice (CoP). The purpose dynamics of sedimentation and new ecological processes. The coast is morphologically in of forming this group was to enhance the successions. The coasts were paralysed after balance and there is no , just waves. It was professionalism of the participants through the damming of 1933 stopped the tidal therefore decided to nourish sand just off the discussion about professional practices. motion. The recreational entrepreneurs of coast and to use the energy of the waves to Participants represent a great diversity of Hindeloopen saw possibilities to improve transport the sand to the coast (Figure 3). knowledge fields, but they share the same conditions for swimmers and surfers. And the practice, namely the development of new Water Board was interested because the An important role is played by the growth coastal management strategies. creation of a shallow foreshore could become of vegetation, such as reeds and water plants, a less costly alternative to dike reinforcement. that can fix the sand that comes onshore. But The CoP consists of twenty people from how and when the sand will deposit and how governments, NGOs and the private sector. A coalition of regional Frisian parties was and when vegetation will develop is to a large It meets once every three months for a whole formed on the basis of these various motives extent unknown. day. The first pilot on the Frisian coast has and this group decided to support the been subject of a CoP meeting. The result of implementation of a BwN pilot project. In the planning process, morphological and critical reflection was that more attention had Financing (2 million euros) was arranged ecological processes were studied. Also, the to be spent to communication with people in through contributions from all parties with impact on nature values was predicted and a the area. additional grants from national funds. carefully designed monitoring plan was made. A condition for support was that the pilots THE DELFLAND SAND ENGINE, be set up as experiments. In the press and in For implementing and monitoring the pilot, PROVINCE OF SOUTH HOLLAND information meetings emphasis was put on knowledge from morphologists, ecologists, Context the experimental nature of the pilot projects. monitoring experts, policy makers, governance The Delfland Sand Engine is the most well- By doing so the political importance of new experts, dredging contractors and others was known and largest experiment in the interventions on the coasts was downplayed. needed. Because of the importance of the Netherlands that has been developed and Because of this, the experiments were set up pilots to the development of strategies for the designed in line with the Building with Nature on a relatively small scale. IJsselmeer in light of climate change, climate principles. The EcoShape–Building with Nature scientists and strategists from other govern­ consortium has played an expert advisory role Dealing with uncertainty ment agencies (provinces, munipalities, water in the partnership. The pilot projects along the Frisian coast boards) showed intense interest. The Province of South-Holland, in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environ­ ment, took the initiative of preparing and implementing a pilot mega-nourishment on the Delfland coast, in order to gain experience in coastal development using building with nature. The Delfland coast between Hoek van Holland and Scheveningen is an eroding coast for which frequent nourishments are needed to maintain the shoreline.

The Sand Engine is a 21.5 million m3 artificial sandy hook connected to the shore and rising above high water (Figure 5). Waves, wind and currents will gradually distribute the sand along the coast and over the shoreface.

The primary objective of the pilot project “Sand Engine” is to combine longer-term safety with more room for nature and recreation. It was long known and recognised on the political agenda that the residents of the southern part of the Randstad, a conurbation that includes Figure 2. Satellite image of the Netherlands with locations of the two case sites. Rotterdam and the Hague and is the most Implementing “Building with Nature” in Complex Governance Situations 21

Figure 3. As part of the pilot study on the Frisian IJsselmeer coast, a semi-permeable row of poles was constructed. This row must mitigate wave energy so that sand can deposit at the location of the Sand Engine. Insert, close-up of the poles being placed.

densely populated area of the Netherlands, the Delfland coast, was initiated 30 years ago the Province, the Hoogheemraadschap van experienced a considerable shortage of these by Dr Ronald Waterman, a coastal expert and Delfland water board, the drinking water amenities. A secondary aim was to innovate Member of the Parliament of the Province of company Dunea, the World Wildlife Fund, and to develop knowledge (Van Dalfsen and South-Holland. Dr Waterman developed over the Association of Life and Coast Guards Aarninkhof, 2009). the years into a passionate Building with (Reddingsbrigade), the relevant municipalities Nature advocate, who managed to get this and EcoShape–Building with Nature. Thus the In the initial phase, 13 different variations were idea on the political agenda. EcoShape Foundation became a member of considered. These were reduced to 4 in the the project partnership. exploratory phase, each with a construction In 2003, a resolution was passed in the volume of 20 million cubic metres: national parliament that demanded an The general attitude was that almost certainly (1) an elongated underwater nourishment exploration of the potential of a multi­ the Sand Engine would go through, although along the Delfland coast with three functional expansion of the coast. At that time details would be discussed with stakeholders. variations off Ter Heijde, each with a the Province already had an explicit policy; The formal and public procedures with regard height of about 3 m above mean sea level; seeking to push nature and recreation in this to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (2) a delta-shaped peninsula; area. Several actors then accepted the idea of were executed quickly and smoothly. Still some (3) a streamlined sandy hook and a seawards coastal strategy. In 2006 an concerns and also some comments emerged in (4) a small island (Mulder and Stive 2011, p 3). advisory committee presented its report on public and consultation meetings. In the end these issues to Mrs. Lenie Dwarshuis, a no real procedural obstacles emerged, The main aspects considered in the assessment­ member of the governing board of the although some of the issues continued to be were coastal safety, nature, recreation, other Province of South Holland. The embryonic idea discussed in political and societal arenas. functions and innovations and feasibility. for the Sand Engine was outlined in this report. Modelling the dynamic character of the Sand Amongst these issues, swimming and Engine and its continuously changing form Meanwhile a Member of Parliament of the recreation safety during construction and involved significant uncertainties. Yet, a choice national Government, Mrs. Tineke Huizinga, afterwards came to the fore. Municipal could be made between the alternatives. also became an advocate of this innovative councils pushed the discussion towards the A sandy hook to the north of Ter Heijde, off coastal management strategy. When appointed safety measures required to guarantee the Solleveld dune reserve, was the alternative in 2007 as Vice-Minister of Public Works and swimming and recreational safety. In response that had the best scores in the Environmental Water Management, she became responsible to this, an Integral Safety Plan was issued in Impact Assessment. for coastal safety. This enhanced the momentum 2010 and discussed with municipal councils for the Sand Engine. An essential and powerful in 2011. During construction and after When, finally, on 17 January 2011, the new coalition was smoothly formed between the construction the effects will be monitored and vice-minister Mr. Atsma officially signaled the Cabinet and the Province, thanks to the modelled frequently and safety measures will start of the construction, several years had personal engagement of Ms. Dwarshuis. This be updated continuously. The decision to passed and the project had become quite laid the foundations for the further exploration allocate and train additional lifeguards for high profile. and planning activities described above. this area is also a result of this discussion.

Coalition formation From this moment on the Sand Engine was a Moreover, a protocol has been formulated The discussion regarding coastal expansion rollercoaster that was relatively unstoppable. and published that makes explicit which actor between Hoek van Holland and Scheveningen, A coalition was formed between the State, is responsible for which issue. 22 Terra et Aqua | Number 124 | September 2011

though of course the State was keen to know what the savings on (also uncertain) regular coastal defense efforts would be.

Also the development of the ecosystem quality proved hard to predict. One of the factors of uncertainty concerned mud accumulation in the expected lagoon. The mud content in the deposited sand will also affect its susceptibility to wind blown transport. The speed at which this wind- blown sand will spread over the shore and Figure 4. The Community of Practice (CoP) on a field visit to the coast in the rain. stimulate dune and nature formation proved hard to predict. Also the issue arose of an old offshore mud deposit, where 40 years ago Of course, there were minor contextual issues add new ones in order to get the public’s contaminated mud from Rotterdam harbour to settle. For instance, with the recreation, attention and to mobilise support. The was dumped. In combination with the Sand hotel and catering sector. One of the issues swimming and recreational safety issue is one Engine this might affect groundwater and was that the beach width should not become of arguments put forward. The action group drinking water quality. too large. If the sea is too far away, that also started a discussion on the presence and would be bad for business. A somewhat risks of explosives that were dumped nearby. In the Netherlands, the public-at-large is invited tougher issue was introduced by a group to give official comments on plans that are of kite surfers, who perceived a regulatory Although sonar soundings did not prove the subject to an environmental impact assessment threat: If the Sand Engine indeed creates presence of such material, this did not stop (EIA). Careful examination of these comments additional nature, the area may be designated the discussion. The local action group keeps on the Sand Engine indicates that a large part as a nature conservation area and then be trying to reverse the decisions through (50%) of the general public (18 out of 36 closed for other activities. This issue also organising passionate actions that raise reactions) is very concerned with the effects caused concern amongst others, because the media attention and, indeed, sometimes on the current recreational conditions (e.g., dynamic nature of the Sand Engine totally their arguments are discussed in provincial swimmer safety; loss of current surfing misfits static conservation requirements. After and national parliaments. conditions). careful consideration a decision was taken that the Sand Engine area would be explicitly Uncertainties Only 2 reactions were more or less positive separated from a nearby Natura 2000 area. The issue of uncertainties inherent to “building about new opportunities. Hence one can with nature” is of special interest to BwN conclude that the public is not quite interested Meanwhile, the principal government actors projects and of relevance to governance. in new recreational opportunities or new nature. involved, the State and the Province, reached Discussions with regard to regulatory Safeguarding vested interests and existing an agreement with regard to the allocation of technicalities concerning decision-making opportunities is more important to them. costs. The bill was allocated: €58 million to be on the Sand Engine highlight the fact that paid by the State, €12 million by the Province. building with nature comes with less well- Furthermore, the outcomes indicate that One element in these financial deliberations defined borders in space and time. people demand the same level of certainty was the question of who was going to pay for as without the project (Van den Hoek 2011). the maintenance and management of the new A number of uncertainties played a role during The Dutch EIA system includes a committee 100 ha of nature expected to develop from exploration, planning and execution of this pilot (Committee EIA) that judges EIA reports. Not the dynamic nature of the Sand Engine. project. Using numerical simulation models, surprisingly, the Committee EIA for the Sand estimates were made of how the mega- Engine concluded in 2010 that the level of The decision was made that the Province will nourishment is going to behave. However, a uncertainty of the project was extremely high delegate the task, as customary, to the model is a schematic representation of reality and judged that there was a tendency association Stichting Zuid-Hollands Landschap. and weather is unpredictable, especially the amongst the proponents to take a too Some efforts were also made to raise number and intensity of storms. Here the optimistic position. co-funding from other parties that were limitations of modeling became evident. believed to benefit from the Sand Engine. DISCUSSION AND PRELIMINARY The expected dynamics with regard to shape GUIDANCE Yet even today an action group promoting and beach development remain uncertain. From the pilot projects in the IJsselmeer and stoppage of the project is busy. This group Hence it remains uncertain how effective the on the Dutch coast one of the lessons learnt is continues to recycle old issues and sometimes Sand Engine will be for coastal defense, that it is not that easy to translate innovative 23

CONCLUSIONS

General guidance for implementing innovative ideas like BwN should include strategies to cope with uncertainties, e.g., by involving experts for the application and interpretation of models. In communication with stakeholders and public these experts can be cited. Moreover, the Sand Engine case demonstrates that one has to keep in mind that fear and uncertainty are Figure 5. Delfland Sand Engine on June 14, 2011 showing the progress of construction of the peninsula which will sometimes content and knowledge related extend about 1 km into the North Sea. – more information will lead to better understanding – whereas on other occasions fears are just imagined and used ideas into policy. The mindsets of people illustrated by our pilots. If this is done by stakeholders to induce opposition. are not focused on what can be achieved carefully, political salience may be achieved. by an innovation. For most people – except Finally, the IJsselmeer pilot study makes clear perhaps some visionaries – what is seems to Another lesson learnt is that the development that actors often need to be reassured that be more prominent in their mindsets than of regional plans in most cases includes “Building with Nature” not only means what can be. The simple governance lesson multiple scales of governance, hence multiple inherent uncertainties, but also that the is of course that “building with nature” playing fields to act upon. One may be possibility of re-adjustment and a course- solutions should be connected to existing tempted to connect to the smallest scale correction, steering things in another problems as they are perceived in the area. necessary for implementing the project. direction, is possible if things develop Only then can the actors’ perceptions be Such a strategy, however, normally includes which are considered to be undesirable. influenced and stakeholders may be willing multiple interests and often stakeholders to connect their stakes and resources to such that are influential in local arenas and local an initiative. decision-making. The threat of getting REFERENCES trapped in short-term interests and local Linking an innovation to various arenas and political dealing is significant. Committee EIA (2010). Sand Engine Delfland Coast, contexts is an activity that should start as soon Assessment of the Environmental Impact Report as possible. A good start is of course an Often a combination of top-down and (Commissie voor de Milieueffectrapportage, 2010. analysis of actors and their positions and an bottom-up assembling efforts is needed, Zandmotor Delflandse Kust. Toetsingsadvies over assessment of what kind of coalition in favour certainly in situations in which BwN and its het milieueffectrapport, 20 mei 2010 / rapport­ of “building with nature” could be assembled. characteristics have played no role so far. nummer 2212-100) http://docs1.eia.nl/mer/p22/ This also makes clear who the potential Often a top-down coalition enables p2212/a2212ts.pdf opponents are. communicating urgency and salience, thus providing an entrance ticket for the BwN Dalfsen, Jan A. van and Aarninkhof, Stefan G.J. With regard to contexts, relevant information manager to the bottom-up integration (2009). “Building with Nature: mega-nourishments concerns at least the actors, their resources process. At least for the pilot cases presented and ecological landscaping of extraction areas”. and their “comfort zones” with regard to above, these guidance lessons for “building EMSAGG Conference, 7-8 May 2009, Rome, Italy. applied approaches of development and with nature” in complex governance contexts design. In addition, the idea of a one-time and processes seem to apply. Delta Commission (2008). “Working Together with actor analysis is too simple. Actors’ Water. A Living Land Builds for Its Future”. http:// preferences, knowledge and resources change An important issue proved to be the imprecise www.deltacommissie.com/doc/deltareport_full.pdf over time and so do contexts. So monitoring spatial and temporal scales of BwN designs, governance systems in order to assemble thus the necessity to deal with uncertainty. Mulder, Jan P.M. and Stive, Marcel J.F. (2011). coalitions and map out opposition needs to This requires governors, NGOs, stakeholders “Zandmotor (sand motor): Building with Nature”. be done on a continuous basis. to step out of their “comfort zones”. Not only 25th ICID European Regional Conference “Deltas in in the case of the Sand Engine, but also in the Europe”, 16-20 May 2011 Groningen, the Netherlands. Furthermore, potential benefits that have IJsselmeer pilots uncertainty was an issue. been overlooked so far may be of interest. Although “traditional” designs are perceived Van den Hoek, Ronald (2011). “Toward resilience BwN can be considered as an ongoing process to offer more certainty, it has to be made based water management: understanding uncertainty of seeking solutions to newly emerging clear that BwN uncertainties are within a and policy evaluation”. Resilience 2011 Conference, problems and ambitions, as has been defined spectrum. Tempe, Arizona, USA, 12 March 2011.