The members of our ResiRiver team have not been sitting still over the past few months! Earlier this year, our partners organised two conferences: one in France (by CPIE) and one in Ireland (by LAWPRO). Read along as they share their experiences!
Accelerating NbS in Northern France
On May 16th, CPIE hosted a conference focused on accelerating the implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in the Northern France region. The afternoon event brought together various European NbS projects with similar objectives to explore potential synergies and inspire local stakeholders. The session targeted environmental professionals and practitioners, as they play a key role in the successful local implementation of NbS.
Four projects
A total of four projects were presented: ResiRiver (river and wetland NbS), its sister project MANABAS (coastal NbS), ARTISAN (NbS for climate change adaptation in France), and MERLIN (mainstreaming NbS across Europe). Together, they showcased the diverse applications of NbS, the tools and methods that can be used, and the wide range of stakeholders involved.
Additionally, the local water agency (AEAP) shared its policies- in favor of NbS, including both guidelines and funding opportunities. CPIE also led a workshop to identify regional opportunities and challenges related to NbS implementation.
“We are happy to see that the session has inspired the various stakeholders and initiated collaborations. CPIE wishes to create a network of local NbS stakeholders to insure their large and efficient implementation in the North of France region.”
– Victoria Soubeiran, NbS Project Manager at CPIE
Future collaborations
CPIE was pleased to see the event inspire stakeholders and spark interest in future collaborations. Looking ahead, CPIE aims to establish a network of local NbS actors to support ensure effective and widespread implementation across Northern France.
National attention for NbS in Ireland
On June 4th and June 5th, the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) with the support of Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) organised a Nature-based Solutions (NbS) conference to promote NbS in Ireland’s urban, rural, coastal and riverine environments. It featured international speakers, masterclass workshops, and even Sustainable Urban Drainage models from Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council!
Attendees included individuals and colleagues from local authorities nationally, universities and colleges nationally, The Rivers Trust, government departments, Office of Public Works, Inland Fisheries Ireland and community groups and societies.
Goals aligned
The conference aligned closely with ResiRiver’s goals. Not only was it meant to build a solid base of NbS by transferring knowledge and experiences, but it also focused on the NbS measures for mainstreaming in various settings.
“The popularity and positive reaction to the Masterclass Workshops on day 2 of the event was a highlight for me and demonstrated the importance of these interactions to promote and mainstream NbS in the national context.”
– Tom Brennan, Senior Executive Engineer at LAWPRO
Much like the ResiRiver project, the conference sought to identify opportunities and challenges for the mainstreaming of NbS through a panel and audience discussion. A presentation was also given by the Office of Public Works (OPW) on NbS for Flood Risk Management, and this included some details on the proposed Hollyford Site in County Tipperary, which is a ResiRiver pilot.
A huge success
With 400 people in attendance and lots of positive feedback, the conference was a huge success! A notable takeaway came from a leading housing developer in Ireland. They have adopted NbS as a key go-to component for placemaking and they noted that NbS was central to the character of their development, as well as being a tool for surface water management. They recognise the sustainability, long-term opportunities and cost benefits that NbS bring.
