patrick meire university of antwerp · patrick meire university of antwerp. 2 the challenge •...

The Flanders case: challenges andopportunities for the ecosystem approach ina highly fragmented and urbanised area

Patrick Meire

University of Antwerp

2

The challenge

• Make the ecosystem approach work in highly urbanisedareas!

3

Flanders is highly fragmented

Increasing pressure of urbanisation andintensification of agriculture

“in 1976, 7,2 procent was build up area;

in 1988 this was 11,7 procent.

in 2000 it was 18,3 procent ( + 56% in10 year! )

For 2050 a model, based on the avergebuilding intensity, predicts 41,5 procentbuild up areas.”

C

cat. 2

cat. 3

cat. 1

waterweg

gr acht

Eigenaar

polder/watering

gemeente

provincie

VMM afd water

W&Z, MOW

So mmige werken zi jnvergunningsplichtig.

• bouwvergunningen: gemeente - RO• mil ieuvergunninge n: gemeente/provincie - LIN• captatievergunningen: W&Z, DS• vegetatievergunningen: ANB

• grondwaterwinningsvergunningen: gemeente/provincie - VMM

•VMM afd water beheert hetl imnigrafischmeetnetwerk onbe vaarb are waterlopen.

•WenZ beheert het h ydrog rafi sch meetnetwerk

bevaarbare waterlopen.

Waterschappe n heb ben enkel bevoegdhede nin hun eigen grondgebied. ( )

• VMM: Vlaamse Milieumaatschappi j•RO: dpt Ruimte lij ke Ordening, Woonbeleid en Onroerend Erfgoed• W&Z: Wate rwegen en Zeekanaal

• Agenschap Natuur en Bosbouw•

VMW

intercommunalesgemeentel ijke regies

A

B

VlaamseOverheid

(Bergmans et al. 1999)

Organisatorische integratieBevoegdheden waterkwantiteitsbeheer

1

2 3

45

6

7

6• Major problems:

- Flooding

- Water shortage

- Pollution

- Biodiversity loss

- …………..

Dender

WETHYDRO W3M Conference Wierzba

Frank-rijk

Wal -lonie

Brussel Vlaande-ren

Neder-land

Totaal

Opp.(km2)

668031%

378717%

1621%

937543%

18598%

21.863100%

21.863 km²

10.431.016inhabitants

(477 inh/km²)

Transboundary issues

8

GENT 11 may 2003-

20.000 farmers, fishermen,hunters and general publicgathered for a manifestationAGAINST the Flemishecological network andnature conservationmeasures!

HOWEVERAn ecosystem approach is more than urgent to faceall the problems due to the loss of ES resultingin ever bigger costsWhat do we know and not (yet)

9

• Understanding and quantification of ES

- The biophysical basis

• Formulation of objectives

• The calculation of habitats surface needed

• Measures to maintain or restore habitats

An integrated strategy

10

Mapping individual services

Hot spots of ES

Mapping services

11

Beringen

Houthalen-Helchteren

Hechtel-Eksel

Peer

N

0 - 5 jaar

5 - 20 jaar

20 - 100 jaar

>100 jaar

Legende

0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 Kilometers

• Do we map potential or actual ecosystemservices?

• Due to:

- Lost connectivity

- Weak link between proxy and ES

Infiltrationarea

Seepagearea

12• Proxy-based maps of ecosystem services

- can be adequate to map the broad distribution ofservices for which primary data is not available

• But..

- Are not suitable for finer-scale conservationprioritization

• And..

- Are REALLY not suitable for projections into thefuture

• (Eigenbrod et al., 2010)

• 2/3 of the studies in review of Seppelt et al.2011 are based on secondary information!

13

• Need for mechanistic understanding andnumerical modelling but:

- Complexity of the system• Processes

• Compartments

estuaySmall brooks riversea

Number of ecosystems

Scale/ number of compartments

15

DRAAGKRACHT

16

• Need for mechanistic understanding andnumerical modelling but:

• Data

17

• Way out:

- Improved integrated modeling at the right scale!

- Baeysian belief networks and similar statisticalmethods, as an alternative, but with importantlimitations

- Pragmatic approaches at smaller scales such asthe functional analysis of wetlands

- Research in key processes

- Integrated monitoring, especially of restorationproject

18

• RISKS due to lack of knowledge/data:

- Basis for valuation

- Problem for PES

- Goals not achieved decrease of credibility

- Gap between conceptual development of theconcepts and the application to case studies

19


• Basin management plans can be a unifyingplanning instrument integrating land use andwater management

20


- The biophysical basis





21

Defining objectives

• Scattered responsibilities lead to manydifferent types of often incompatibleobjectives

• Integrated objectives, covering not only waterquality or quantity,… but also delivery ofecosystem services is necessary

22

doelstelling 01V

lRaa

02V

lHan

03H

anG

r

04G

rBur

05B

urTm

06Tm

Dem

07D

emG

t

08D

urm

e

09Ze

DN

e

10st

rSc

maximaliseren buffer bovenstroomse afvoer 0 0 0 0 + + ++ ++ ++ ++maximaliseren tidale energiedissipatie + ++ ++ ++ ++ + + + + 0uitbreiden meergeulenstelsel 0 ++ ++ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0optimaliseren natuurlijk habitatprocessen ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ 0minimaliseren turbiditeit 0 + + ++ ++ ++ + ++ + 0optimaliseren koolstofhuishouding 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ++optimaliseren stikstofhuishouding 0 0 + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++optimaliseren zuurstofhuishouding 0 0 0 + ++ ++ + ++ + ++optimaliseren fosforhuishouding 0 0 0 0 0 0 + + + ++optimaliseren siliciumhuishouding + ++ ++ ++ 0optimaliseren primaire productie 0 + + ++ ++ ++ + ++ + 0optimaliseren condities voor zoöplankton 0 + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ 0optimaliseren condities voor benthos + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ 0optimaliseren vismigratie 0 + + + + + ++ ++ ++ ++uitbreiden areaal ondiep laagdynamisch water + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ 0uitbreiden areaal slik + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ 0verlagen dynamiek slik 0 ++ ++ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0uitbreiden areaal schor + ++ + + ++ + ++ + ++ 0verjongen schor + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ 0 0 0uitbreiden areaal wetland 0 0 0 + + + ++ + ++ 0

Zone of estuaryServices

• Diagnosis of thesystem:

• Where did deliveryof which ESdecline?

23

Generation of ESSx• x

DEMAND

SUPPLY

Identify demandFor ES

Increase supply

24

Defining goals for ES

• Reducing increase of tidal energy (eg highwaters in estuary may not increase more than xcm)

• Amount of nutrients that must be removed inestuary to reach a given load to the coastal sea

• Amount of recycling of dissolved silica tomaintain diatom production

• Amount of storm water to be stored

• ……..

25

• Coupling the formulation of objectives to an overallvision of the development of the catchment/system

• link with communication

Trumpet of uncertainty and targets(M.Meijer)

Desiredfutures

Presentstate

scenario

Potentialfutures in

2025

26






27

Habitat

1

“Conservation” Objectives (CO)

Species 1

populationSurface S1

habitat quality

density

Function 1

habitat quality

volume

Surface F1unit

28

Habitat 1 Habitat 2 Habitat 3

Service 1 X Y

Service 2 A B

Habitat needed max (X,A) Y B

29




• Which measures to take where to realize thenecessary habitats?


Recentlyflooded

Historicallyflooded

Historical& recent

13.3 %

3 %

2.67 %

System was adapted to our needs Loss of services

Subcatchment modeling

Classic hydrological model:upstream to downstream > 1 direct line

Upstream generation of ES, downstream delivery of ES

e.g. How do human activities influence downstream ES?

Challenging model improvement:downstream to upstream > network of possibilities

Possibility to analyze ES on subcatchment scale

e.g. How does the generation of aquatic ES depend on upstreamcatchment properties?

Upstream – downstream evaluation of catchment characteristics, ES generationánd demand on subcatchment level.

WETHYDRO W3M Conference Wierzba

Examples: Physical suitability & sectorclaim

33Spatial distribution of CO-Schelde:

Habitattype opp (ha)

Buitendijks brak 740

Buitendijks zoet 1040

Binnendijks bos alluviaal 570

Binnendijks anderen 370

Binnendijks grasland dotter (RBB) 840

Binnendijks grasland anderen 910

Binnendijks riet/ruigte 560

Binnendijks plas/oever 240

35

How to implement?

36Controled inundation areaof Kruibeke Bazel Rupelmonde

37

History of water management

Problem

Planning Input RealisationDecision

TechiciansVisions of nature

PublicVisions of nature

PoliticiansVisions of nature

ScientistsVisions of nature

NGO’sVisions of nature

Conflicts

Conflicts

Nature administrationVisions of nature

38

Forcefield analysis

Safety - inundations

Universities

5 4 3 2 1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5

FCAKBR

Nature

Agriculture

Municipality

Community

39

Forcefield analysis

Europe

Universities

5 4 3 2 1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5

FCAKBR

Law (Decreet)

Nature

Agriculture

Municipality

Community

Safety - inundations

40

System theory

• Option of nature development creates thepossibility of solving local conflicts

• System functioning and analysis became acommon language

• Insights into ‘goods and services’ of theecosystem

• Fundamental change of vision of technicians

41

History of nature managementAfter adoptation of ES concept and restoration plan

Problem

Planning Input RealisationDecision






Conflicts

Role of public debate ?

Nature administrationVisions of nature

42

Isolate opponents

Europe

Universities

5 4 3 2 1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5

FCAKBRLaw (Decreet)

Agriculture

Municipality

Nature

43

Stay alert

Europe

Universities

5 4 3 2 1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5

FCAKBRLaw (Decreet)

Agriculture

Neighbours

Community

Nature

Municipality

45

• To deal with the diversity of visions:

• Common language between the differentgroups: Ecosystem services is a goodcandidate






The keys to implementation involverecognition of:

• Biodiversity as both the driver and theinsurance policy

• Multiple ecosystem services of habitat/sites

• Role of the wider landscape scale and spatialarrangements– Go beyond the traditional network of protected

sites

– Deal with issues of trade offs among services andpotential beneficiaries

Major new developments can improveimplementation

• Opportunities in current environmentallegislation– > habitat and bird directive, … but also in Water

framework directive,…..

– > but:• need for more interpretation guidelines (art. 10 on

connectivity),

• research needs (Property rights (private property versuspublic goods)

• Need to mainstream alongside the environmentalimpact assessment to the wider policy framework

Way forward

• Key issues:– Scale and mapping, quantification

– Interactions/trade offs between ecosystemservices

– Highlight and analyze experiences from case-studies

– Awareness and involvement local communities(realisation of self- and community wide interest)

– Further enabling legislation

– Valuation and financial instruments

Way forward

• Key issues:

– Incoroporate system thinking in education fromprimary school onwards and certainly at theuniversity!

• In conclusion, land-use patterns that reckonwith the physical properties of soil andhydrology cause less interaction with thewater system whilst a high discrepancybetween actual land-use and physicalsuitability urges a more intense adaptation ofthe system and thus to a higher impact ofland-use on the water system.

53

Challenge

Integrated and multi-disciplinary tools are requiredthat give clear insights in the ecosystems ability to

supply services, that estimate the size of theseservices and its impact on human welfare and thatpredict the consequences of human transformations

on its future ability to deliver these services.

The key challenge of modern policy making in thedomain of ecosystem management is to prevent or

reduce the degradation of ecosystems and theirservices while meeting increasing demands.

54

Conclusion

• Using the ES concept, allowed to:

- Improve the communication between differentmanagers

- Work out integrated solutions

- Formulate conservation objectives for different ES

- Translate these CO into a surface of habitatnecessary

- Make a cost benefit analysis

- Significantly change the approach

• Restoration is the most profitable scenario!!

55

• Succesfull examples of integrated plan designand implementation are often dependent oncertain people…

- ES are created and restored

- But, it is not embedded in a methodologicalframework

- Or even recognised as such

56

• Our role as scientists is to generate knowledgethat allows to create frameworks that areadapted to:

- The scale of the application

- The different phases of planning processes

- The institutional setting (power and authority)

- The existing instruments

57

• Unfortunately these aspect do not match intime and space…

patrick meire university of antwerp · patrick meire university of antwerp. 2 the challenge •...

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