In a collaborative effort spanning countries, representatives from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Ireland, Scotland, and the USA convened in Nijmegen, Netherlands on October 26th and 27th to officially launch the ResiRiver project. The primary objective of this international initiative, led by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat), is to upscale and mainstream Riverine Nature-Based Solutions across northwestern Europe. The ResiRiver project involves a trans-disciplinary team comprising government and university engineers, planners, researchers, biologists, economists, and other experts from 11 partner organizations and 18 associated partner organizations. The project is supported by Interreg North-West Europe (NWE), a European Territorial Cooperation program that aims to promote balanced development, resilience, and well-being across the region.
EWN’s Role in ResiRiver Kickoff Meeting
Dave Crane, EWN Riverine Practice Lead, serves as the United States’ ResiRiver Point of Contact and associated partner representative. During the kickoff meeting, Dave delivered a comprehensive presentation on “Riverine NBS Application in the USA“. His presentation covered an array of topics, including an overview of the EWN Program, case studies of riverine NBS in the USA, barriers to NBS implementation, and ongoing actions to advance NBS consideration and implementation. Crane’s involvement in the ResiRiver project will continue over its 5-year schedule, fostering connections between NWE and riverine NBS practitioners in the USA.
Alignment
The ResiRiver project’s four-pronged approach aligns with many of EWN’s ongoing efforts:
- Construction of NBS pilot projects across NWE partner countries.
- Development of communication material for stakeholder and practitioner knowledge transfer.
- A science team to monitor pilot projects, quantify benefits, and translate lessons learned into future design guidance.
- Synthesizing ResiRiver outcomes into policy and statute recommendations to facilitate NBS implementation across NWE.
This collaboration provides an opportunity for knowledge exchange, joint planning, and facilitated NBS decision-making, contributing to the real-world application of NBS in the region. As part of EWN’s commitment to advancing NBS globally, participation in ResiRiver will enable the sharing of insights, lessons learned, and best practices between NWE and USA professionals.
Next Steps
Looking ahead, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) aims to contribute actively to the ResiRiver project by keeping the partner team updated on novel NBS engineering guidance development. Additionally, USACE will serve as a conduit for NBS examples, research results, and points of contact in the USA. By actively exchanging information, USACE seeks to gain insights into the current state of NBS statutes and policies in NW Europe, learn from NWE practitioner experiences, and observe NBS knowledge transfer efforts.
The ResiRiver project represents a significant stride towards mainstreaming Riverine NBS in northwestern Europe, and USACE’s involvement underscores the commitment to global collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of Nature-Based Solutions.
