Snapshots of the fish monitoring activities (Source: Sportvisserij Nederland).
Innovative components
Integrated river management aims to restore or design rivers and floodplains for multi-functional use. The construction of longitudinal dams in the river Waal will change the appearance of the river landscape and how it can serve the (recreational) needs of different stakeholder groups. This study fills a gap in current monitoring frameworks by assessing the potential effect of the longitudinal dams on a number of different landscape values: aesthetics, naturalness, biodiversity, flood safety, safety for navigation, accessibility, and suitability for fishing purposes. This type of information can also inform future decisions on whether to construct longitudinal training dams elsewhere in the Netherlands or abroad.
Responses of the four stakeholder groups to the following statements: “In my opinion, the placement of longitudinal training dams will make the landscape…” (Source: Verbrugge et al. 2017).
Findings and implications to practice
Knowledge of stakeholder perceptions and their concerns is important for identifying and selecting relevant monitoring indicators and their willingness to participate in the monitoring. As expected, we found that the four groups held different views, and taken together, they provide the responsible water authority with useful information for evaluating the dams’ potential impacts on landscape values. Our findings in this particular case showed that recreational anglers had many concerns about the consequences for their recreational activities and that they felt more dependent on the area than the other stakeholder groups. This group was therefore invited to participate in the fish monitoring. Moreover, it informed the communication strategy to provide interesting and relevant information.
Related Content
Publication
- Verbrugge, L. N. H., Ganzevoort, W., Fliervoet, J. M., Panten, K., & van den Born, R. J. G. (2016). Implementing participatory monitoring in river management: the role of stakeholders’ perspectives and incentives. Journal of Environmental Management, 30, 1e8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.11.035
Supporting reports
- Verbrugge, L. N. H., & Born, R. J. G. van den. (2015). Belevingsonderzoek langsdammen : Nulmeting onder bewoners, sportvissers, recreatievaarders en binnenvaartschippers. Retrieved from https://repository.ubn.ru.nl/handle/2066/157687
- Verbrugge, L. N. H., Ganzevoort, W., & Van den Born, R. J. G. (2017). Belevingsonderzoek langsdammen Waal: Meting 2016 onder bewoners, sportvissers, recreatievaarders en binnenvaartschippers. Nijmegen: Radboud University.
Dataset access
This dataset concern local stakeholders’ perceptions and their expectations with respect to the construction of longitudinal dams in the Dutch river Waal. https://dataverse.nl/dataset.xhtml?persistentId=hdl:10411/YACJ6D. Dataset has restricted access to protect the privacy of participants.
Related outputs
The role of place attachment in public perceptions of a re-landscaping intervention in the river Waal
Public perception research can tell you more about the importance of river landscapes as ‘space’ and ‘place’.
01/05/2018 by Laura Verbrugge et al.
Contains: Dataset upon request
Exploring place attachment and visions of nature, of water-based recreationists
Major river interventions can greatly affect stakeholders and their connection to the river landscape. We show how recreationists’ perceptions of nature and landscape influence their expectations about a pilot intervention in the Waal river.
16/01/2018 by Wessel Ganzevoort et al.
Contains: Dataset access
Last modified: 02/03/2019
