Learning from rewetting ’t Roegwold – Groningen, the Netherlands
The former agricultural area, that now is the nature area Roegwold, was pinpointed as a nature development area in the 1980’s. Here political borders were drawn around the least productive agricultural lands as they were to be transformed into 1750 ha of peat-swamps. In the process collaboration with surrounding stakeholders was essential in designing, developing and maintaining the area. Together with farmers, nature organizations, the waterboard, peat experts, province and local municipality the area was designed and developed.
In design the availability and quality of water was essential and 3 different areas were proposed, a higher and dryer part, a middle part with peatlands and water and a lower part with high water tables. When developing the area, farmers had to be bought out or relocated and one farmer wanted to remain, which can also be seen in the design. Furthermore, a reed filter was added to get rid of phosphate and nitrate in the water.
The biggest lesson learned is that collaboration and communication were key in this development, even though communication was lacking at the start. Information evenings showcased the development using digital renders. The local newspaper and TV posted calls to form collaboration groups with inhabitants, people could vote for the name of the area via the local newspaper and the developing party was present on local events to organize information sessions, walking and biking tours. Furthermore collaboration with local farmers was deemed essential, which now have a role in grazing of the area, mowing of certain parts and the management of invasive species. If one thing could have been done differently, a neutral process leader would have been hired to guide the process without any interests of their own.
