Governance for sustainable restoration – Veluwe Randmeren

Lessons Learned

The following lessons have been learned from the project VeluweRandmeren:

  • A common problem or opportunity stimulates cooperation between stakeholders.
  • A covenant in which the rules of the game (including funding responsibilities) are made explicit favours an effective cooperation between stakeholders.
  • Communication and interaction with the local parties and public in the area is important for developing and retaining their support for the project.
  • At the start of the project, be clear about focus and scope: what can be done, what not?
  • Agree already in the planning phase on how after implementation the pilots will be monitored, managed and maintained and by whom.
  • To favor project implementation, involve politicians and administrators in the project organization.
  • A relatively small project team with a wide range of expertise and a mandate to take its own decisions can respond quickly and adequately to unexpected developments.
  • As the realization of projects strongly depends on the ability of parties to agree upon finances, a practical financial instrument is recommendable.

These lessons have been taken into account in the design for the Sand Engines IJsselmeer.