Rehabilitate Section by Section with engagement of people, in the regeneration of riparian ecosystem
In recent decades we have witnessed the estrangement of human beings from Nature. Aware of the importance of Water in the balance of Life, the Rehabilitate Section by Section (RTT) Project was designed to bring people closer to water resources by applying Nature-based solutions that encourage a sense of belonging to the territory and the prioritisation of public policies for the conservation of riparian ecosystems at local level, increasing Biodiversity and mitigating Climate Change.
Regional
Portugal
Municipality of Santarém
Mainly rural
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
2022-11-17
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Municipality of Santarém Type of organisation: Public authority (European/national/regional/local) First name of representative: Maria João Last name of representative: Cardoso Gender: Female Nationality: Portugal Function: Head of Environment and Sustainability division Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Praça do Município, Santarém Town: Santarém Postal code: 2005-245 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+351 916 899 153 E-mail:mjc.cardoso@cm-santarem.pt Website:https://www.cm-santarem.pt/
The Rehabilitate Section by Section Project (RTT) was conceived by the organic unit of Environment of the Municipality of Santarém, which as a local authority, is the privileged actor in the construction of a sustainable territory based on the concept of sustainable development, to increase the quality of life of the populations, which is not dissociated from Nature.
The new challenges of local governance, require empowerment for an effective participation of communities and establishment of transdisciplinary strategic partnerships, in safeguarding the quality and quantity of freshwater bodies available for the competitiveness of the county and ensuring the welfare of people.
The RTT project was launched in July 2012, involving key actors and the general population invited to participate, for a paradigm shift in the degradation of water resources, acting in a mission to reverse a past of pollution and degradation of riparian ecosystems that we still hand over to future generations.
The project's methodology follows the principle of active participation by local councillors, local populations and companies in the river rehabilitation of stretches of river or stream, applying Natural Engineering Techniques, knowledge of which is acquired in loco, through experimentation in the water line, which creates a bond of affection and belonging to the rehabilitated natural resource.
This project was applied to 23 stretches of rivers and streams in the municipality, in a total of 5,000 metres, with the direct involvement of 25,619 people and, indirectly, 60,000 inhabitants of the municipality, with more than 6,000 trees planted.
River Rehabilitation
Biodiversity
Public Engagement
Replicability
Identity
The implementation of the RTT actions provides equal opportunities for citizens of the national territory, as the rehabilitation of rivers and creeks contributes to the improvement of the territories, associated with its environmental and landscape quality, with the consequent strengthening of the self-esteem of the populations and improvement of territorial cohesion/identity, considering that rivers and creeks mirror the experiences, customs, uses and traditions, representing an added value for local communities associated with riparian ecosystems.
The RTT Project has made it possible to enhance social experiences in riverside spaces, promoting social awareness of the environmental and social value of Water Resources and their ecosystems. The intervention in rivers and streams has allowed the use of spaces for leisure and recreational activities, translating into benefits for the quality of life of the population. At the same time, new social and economic dynamics are created, enhancing new business niches related to sustainable tourism.
Considering that the dissemination of technical knowledge to the community, complemented with the implementation of demonstrative actions for the application of Natural Engineering techniques, allows the replicability and continuation of the rehabilitation of rivers and streams over time by the key actors.
This project is based on a public strategy to mobilise local communities through participative governance that is close to the citizen, based on the valorisation of endogenous and natural resources as a competitive factor for the territories.
Riparian galleries contribute to minimising the effects caused by Climate Change by conserving fresh water through the shading of rivers and streams, and they act as CO2 sinks. They also contribute to an increase in biodiversity, promoting the protection of species characteristic of riparian galleries and reducing the pressure of invasive species.
This project is an example of how municipalities, as local authorities, within the scope of their attributions and competences can foster cooperative work and the establishment of synergies between different actors in society that mobilize their available resources, without associated direct costs.
The project will help restore the beauty, integrity, resilience and connectivity of aquatic ecosystems in the Municipality of Santarém, contributing to the sustainability of water resources through the use of local plants and vegetation, which are very accessible and low cost, and can be replicated by citizens and owners bordering water lines.
On a social level, it stands out the increase of feelings of belonging and identity in the community, promoting an active citizenship based on a culture that values civic participation, environmental responsibility and promotion of a healthy life, as factors of personal and collective development, enhancers of inclusion and social cohesion and increasing the happiness index of people.
The RTT is a differentiating project, considering that it involves civil society to be an integral part of the solution for the rehabilitation of the riparian gallery of rivers and streams, having in the scope of this project developed the following actions of public participation
- Planting of native species, promoting the development of biodiversity and increasing the ecological and aesthetic value associated with rivers and streams;
- Campaigns to control exotic and invasive species, namely Arundo donax, Rubus sp and Eichhornia crassipes;
- Application of Natural Engineering techniques, within the scope of nature-based solutions, to stabilise the banks and prevent their erosion.
The intervened places were inaccessible to the population, creating with the RTT the access to natural spaces, which can be experienced and felt, creating opportunities for new experiences. The RTT's mission is to define strategies and guidelines for the sustainable development of water resources in the municipality of Santarém, promoting their conservation and enhancement in cooperation with key actors to change the paradigm of inefficient use of natural resources to a differentiating element in the competitiveness of territories. The restoration of rivers and streams is carried out using the human and material resources of the various entities involved, without them having to make additional investments.
Rivers and creeks reflect the experiences, customs, uses and traditions of a people. The RTT Project has enabled the enhancement of social experiences in riverside spaces, and their use for leisure and recreational activities, translating into benefits for the quality of life of the populations.
Regarding the social inclusion of the project, we highlight the involvement of several key actors of the society, such as citizens, fishermen, cultural and recreational associations, companies, educational establishments, scientific community, solidarity and social action institutions and local and national public entities.
The actions to rehabilitate rivers and creeks have involved the local community and citizen groups, namely: Motorbike groups, Portuguese Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Handicapped Citizens, Parish Councils, Fishermen, Civic Movements, schools and volunteers. It is estimated that, to date, the RTT actions have directly involved 25 619 citizens, representing about 40% of the population of the municipality of Santarém.
The RTT covers the two sub-basins of the Municipality of Santarém, Alviela River and Maior River, intervening in the Territory valorization through the conservation of the Natural Heritage in public areas, namely through the rehabilitation of rivers and streams in the Municipality of Santarém.
The RTT project allows the dissemination of scientific knowledge of nature-based solutions, accessible and low-cost, to citizens and entities that want to be an active element in preserving the natural heritage that are the rivers and streams.
The rehabilitation actions have created favourable conditions for increasing biodiversity and have also been positive examples of intervention in water resources, encouraging landowners bordering rivers and streams to rehabilitate the water lines on their properties, thereby contributing towards achieving the environmental objectives set out in the Water Framework Directive.
The involvement of civil society in the RTT project has made it possible to create dynamics of environmental valorisation and protection in places where 23 degraded rivers/streams have been rehabilitated, with the community involved conveying a sense of belonging and responsibility for protecting the water resource that has been lost over the decades.
The Municipality of Santarém is a public body for the implementation of local territorial management policies. It has the ability to mobilise and involve its citizens in the public participation process, as well as being an aggregator of different public and private bodies in the realisation of the project.
The involvement of stakeholders at various levels of governance allowed the creation of the river rehabilitation project, applying nature-based solutions, namely the application of Natural Engineering techniques, to address problems of river connectivity, loss of biodiversity and fragmentation of riparian galleries.
The environmental challenges require an integrated response at various levels of action, being essential the involvement of all stakeholders in society for the successful resolution of environmental problems that are transversal to all citizens.
The focus of the RTT project is to involve stakeholders at local level, namely, parish councils, educational institutions, cultural and recreational associations, fishermen and volunteers, considering that the actions recommended in the rehabilitation of rivers/creeks are idealized so that it is possible for anyone to perform them after the rehabilitation action.
The participation of the scientific community in the RTT project disseminates scientific knowledge to citizens, brings science closer and contributes with the dissemination of good practices to be applied in the area of river rehabilitation, allowing society to be part of the preservation of water resources.
The involvement of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), as the National Water Authority, which aims to protect and manage water resources, ensures that the rehabilitation actions are in accordance with the recommended legislation, contributing to national policies and European Directives on water resources management.
Environmental issues are acknowledged to be complex, leading to the need to bring disciplines from different fields of knowledge into this domain in order to ensure a holistic vision and provide new solutions to these problems. In this context, transdisciplinarity is an important instrument to adopt, since it enables a new approach of interconnection between man and Nature, promoting a change in the current paradigm.
The RTT project is an example of how different visions about Natural Resources can be integrated, demonstrating that there are no absolute truths or domination of a discipline over the others, but that cooperation between the parties contributes to the improvement of the quality of the Environment and citizens' well-being.
The core of the project is based on different areas of scientific knowledge and public participation to solve the problem of degradation of the riverside ecosystems, allowing a change in the perception of Nature and consequently stimulating a new understanding of the importance of natural values for Man.
This project covers several scientific areas, namely:
- Biology, Ecology and Environmental Engineering, with a view to regenerating the riverside ecosystem and preserving native biodiversity.
- Hydraulics, Natural Engineering and Physical Engineering, with a view to applying structural solutions to consolidate river and stream banks, mitigating the effects of floods and preventing erosion.
The RTT includes the sociology and public participation component as the integration of cultural values generates emotional benefits, establishing a link to the place, promoting a sense of belonging and safeguarding rivers and streams. It should also be noted that this project is inclusive, considering that the basic solutions are easy to implement and affordable, and can be carried out by any citizen.
The RTT project has the potential to bring citizens closer to natural resources, reviving memories of enjoying water resources and rethinking their relationship with nature from a life-centred perspective, as opposed to a human-centred one. This project has transformed places that were inaccessible to the population due to the environmental degradation of riverside ecosystems by the presence of exotic and invasive species and has shown that by applying nature-based solutions it is possible to regenerate these ecosystems, preventing the loss of biodiversity.
The involvement of society in the processes of decision-making, participation and evaluation in rehabilitation favours the creation of a sense of community and belonging to rivers and streams, identifying the preservation and enhancement of water resources as a common task for the entire community. It promotes a civic culture that considers essential the environmental value of water resources and ecosystems as an added value for the enjoyment of spaces for leisure and recreational activities, translating into benefits for the quality of life. The participation of citizens in the rehabilitation action provides positive experiences, landscape improvement and health benefits, while developing a sense of belonging that translates into the preservation of these spaces over time.
Regarding the results of the RTT project, the rehabilitation of 23 rivers and streams stands out, with the participation of 25,619 citizens in the planting of more than 6,000 native tree, which allowed:
-Strengthening and increasing autochthonous biodiversity
-Control of exotic and invasive species
-Development of the experience of the rehabilitated space
-Improved environmental literacy through the installation of information panels on the biodiversity existing in the area
-Change of attitude and behaviour with regard to preserving the environment
-Demonstration of good practices to be adopted in the conservation of water resources
This project is based on a public strategy of mobilization of local communities, able to leverage the local economy, create employment and promote quality of life through a participatory governance and close to the citizen, based on the valorization of natural resources as a competitive factor of the territories. The RTT project aims to be a reference in the efficient management of resources and innovation, committed to the sustainability of Water Resources at local level, stimulating the competitiveness of the territories, being a leverage vector of environmental, social and economic valorisation.
The abandonment of rural areas and consequently rivers and streams seek innovative solutions that encourage public participation to safeguard a common good. The innovative character of this project is to involve society in the process of rehabilitation of rivers and streams, through the sharing of scientific knowledge transmitted in concrete actions in the field in which the citizens themselves execute the nature-based solutions in moments of conviviality and sharing.
The RTT project design focused on the application of nature-based solutions that are designed and implemented with the co-production of scientifically sound knowledge through multi-stakeholder involvement, so that the experience gained is shared with others.
The RTT project is an example of how municipalities, as local authorities, within the scope of their attributions and competences, can foster cooperative work and the establishment of synergies between different actors of society that mobilize their available resources in the rehabilitation of rivers and streams, using the human and material means of the various entities involved, without these having to make additional investments.
The Municipality of Santarém, as the local authority, within the scope of its attributions and competences, to involve the different actors of the society for the mobilization of the available resources fostering the cooperation work and the establishment of synergies in a vision of improvement and valorization of the riverside ecosystems.
The RTT Project promotes the involvement of stakeholders at various levels of governance in the creation and execution of the river rehabilitation project, applying nature-based solutions, namely the application of Natural Engineering techniques, to address problems of river connectivity, loss of biodiversity and fragmentation of riparian galleries.
The proposed interventions are based on a strategy of inclusion and sustainable development of rivers and streams, through the involvement of citizens in the implementation of technical solutions closer to Nature, namely, willow stakes, the application of coir rolls, vegetated soil wrap, tubular gabions, box fascines and the planting of native vegetation species. These solutions accelerate the natural regeneration of the riverside ecosystem, promoting in the medium term the existence of viable populations of plant and animal species characteristic of the river environment, as well as the reconstitution and protection of slopes and banks against river erosion.
The knowledge acquired by citizens in the rehabilitation of rivers and streams will make an important contribution to the conservation of riverside ecosystems, through the replication of Natural Engineering techniques in other rivers and streams. This project aims to encourage the valuation of ecological functions and ecosystem services, reinforcing territorial identity and the defence of environmental values.
The rehabilitated sites are monitored by citizens who carry out conservation actions, with the selective pruning and planting of new species, so as not to revert to the initial state of environmental degradation.
The RTT Project is a successful example of partnership work between local entities that results in visible benefits for the community and allows compliance with the Water Framework Directive objectives, being a win-win situation. This project is the result of the work carried out by the municipality in defining strategies and guidelines for the sustainable development of water resources in the municipality of Santarém, promoting their conservation and enhancement in cooperation with key actors to change the paradigm of inefficient use of natural resources to a differentiating element in the competitiveness of the territories. It also allows the construction of a more informed and dynamic society in defence of the Environment and strengthens attitudes of an active and participative citizenship.
The potentialities of Public Participation in the decision-making processes are recognized and are translated by its contribution to a better decision. The RTT project is a reference of mobilization of citizens in the participation in public projects, and the model of citizen involvement in various issues can be replicated, improving civic participation and acceptance of the project by society, mitigating and reconciling the local interest with the national or public.
Today, more than ever, science has become part of our lives. The RTT project, focuses on the transfer of scientific knowledge to citizens in an accessible way and with the aim of solving local problems, mitigating the natural resistance to change, through the information and training provided.
The involvement of stakeholders at various levels of governance allows this project model to be disseminated and replicated, not only in similar projects, but also in other projects where it is essential to involve public participation.
Environmental issues, namely Climate Change and the loss of Biodiversity, are currently the main challenge facing Humanity, with direct consequences on the daily lives of citizens. In this context, it is important to highlight the role that the municipality can assume in the local response and in its capacity to adapt to reality the adequate solutions to the situations that daily affect its populations, being the proximity an added value.
The RTT project of local action that contributes to the resolution of global problems results from the bet of Santarém Municipality in the rehabilitation of river ecosystems, in line with the main guidelines of the Portuguese Environment Agency, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action, as well as the objectives and priorities of the European Commission, in particular, favours the rehabilitation and regeneration of rivers and streams, assuming the challenge of promoting ecological connectivity, mitigating the impacts of Climate Change and the identity relationship between the river and the citizen.
This project is based on a strategy for the sustainable development of rivers and streams, through the implementation of nature-based solutions that accelerate the natural regeneration of the riverside ecosystem, promoting viable populations of plant and animal species that are characteristic of riverside environments in the medium term, boosting the resilience of ecosystems to extreme climate phenomena, as well as reducing the impact of floods on citizens by maintaining and regenerating riparian galleries.
