New Report on the Scheldt
15 October 2020 - Published by Lisa Simone de Grunt
As part of its Stakeholder Integration Work Package, a 'System Analysis Nature Scheldt Estuary' report has been published.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Scheldt estuary there is a very complex government situation, with sometimes strongly opposing stakeholder views. In this situation the governments that are collaborating within the Flemish Dutch Scheldt Committee face ecological goals that are very difficult to reach, especially when taking in account the long-term development of the estuary. Therefore, the Flemish Dutch Scheldt Committee wishes to develop a ‘perspective for nature on the long term’, which goes beyond the legal obligations within the N2000 framework. Such ‘perspective’ requires proper insight on the actual state of the estuary in such a way that there is agreement on the facts. The initiative was taken to make a joint analysis of the natural system of the estuary, with the most important stakeholders and experts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many governments and interest groups accepted the invitation. In 2017, as the first step, a plan of approach was accepted by all participants. This plan described the process of joint fact finding. During the spring of 2018 the system analysis started. During numerous sessions a common understanding of the natural state of the estuary was developed. This system analysis was finalized in the first months of 2019 and then presented to the Flemish Dutch Scheldt Committee. It describes the state and trends of the natural system, as well as possible explanations for these observations. The subject is the entire estuary in between the embankments, influenced by the tide, from the weir at Gent up until the imaginary line between Vlissingen and Breskens.
The document focuses on four themes:
- Hydrodynamics and morphology
- Water quality
- Habitats
- Flora and fauna
A summary document in English concisely describes the findings relevant for these four themes.
Download all of the IMMERSE Outputs here.
----------------------------------------------------
