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Restoration of the river Cagne
Published on 06 October 2021
France
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About this good practice
The goal was to build a roadmap to coordinate and prioritize actions for the restoration of the banks of the river Cagne and to enhance its attractiveness and ecosystem services, focusing on 3 main themes:
– flood risk mitigation, water quality preservation and management of agricultural activities
– reorganisation of soft mobility and public space around the river
– restoration of ecological and geomorpĥological continuity.
The roadmap was elaborated by a partnership between local services, the National Landscape School and STOA Artelia in 3 phases:
– Analysis/data synthesis: hydrological/geomorphological analysis, mapping of river uses
– Analysis of restoration needs
– Preliminary studies/proposals for riverbank management
A variety of stakeholder engagement activities were managed by a specialised private organisation to enable technicians, politicians and citizens to share their points of view and ask questions:
– Mobilisation, listening:
– numerical forum: questionnaire, participative mapping, co-construction workshop
– Cagne river visit and comments
– Public awareness
– 4 thematic conferences on issues revealed by the various scientific analyses, 1 workshop on planned scenarios
– Presentation of results: video, newsletters, posters, exhibits
Stakeholders: the water agency, Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and Cagnes-sur-Mer city. Originality: the holistic and integrated approach along the whole extent of the river and a strong will for public consultation
– flood risk mitigation, water quality preservation and management of agricultural activities
– reorganisation of soft mobility and public space around the river
– restoration of ecological and geomorpĥological continuity.
The roadmap was elaborated by a partnership between local services, the National Landscape School and STOA Artelia in 3 phases:
– Analysis/data synthesis: hydrological/geomorphological analysis, mapping of river uses
– Analysis of restoration needs
– Preliminary studies/proposals for riverbank management
A variety of stakeholder engagement activities were managed by a specialised private organisation to enable technicians, politicians and citizens to share their points of view and ask questions:
– Mobilisation, listening:
– numerical forum: questionnaire, participative mapping, co-construction workshop
– Cagne river visit and comments
– Public awareness
– 4 thematic conferences on issues revealed by the various scientific analyses, 1 workshop on planned scenarios
– Presentation of results: video, newsletters, posters, exhibits
Stakeholders: the water agency, Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and Cagnes-sur-Mer city. Originality: the holistic and integrated approach along the whole extent of the river and a strong will for public consultation
Resources needed
Since 1995 more than 5 million € dedicated to land acquisition, riverbank restoration, flood management including: 120 000 € for the restoration roadmap (50% was granted by the regional water agency), 2million€ for the whole restoration project, from agricultural Lowlands to the sea.
Evidence of success
Actions implemented since 1995:
– flood risk mitigation, biodiversity enhancement
– restoration of the Cagne river environment: creation of 32 ha of protected natural areas, riverbank restoration, facilitation of soft mobility, planning public areas layout,
– restoration of ecological/geomorphological continuity, morphological restoration, weir removal, eel migration studies
– water quality management: acquisition by city of 1.3ha of agricultural land for environmentally friendly farming.
– flood risk mitigation, biodiversity enhancement
– restoration of the Cagne river environment: creation of 32 ha of protected natural areas, riverbank restoration, facilitation of soft mobility, planning public areas layout,
– restoration of ecological/geomorphological continuity, morphological restoration, weir removal, eel migration studies
– water quality management: acquisition by city of 1.3ha of agricultural land for environmentally friendly farming.
Potential for learning or transfer
This GP appears to be very interesting to learn from, particularly on the following points:
1. The holistic approach adopted along the whole length of the river: socio-economic uses, biodiversity, water quality, environmentally friendly agriculture, soft mobility, urban cool zone, urban quality of life;
2. Stakeholder engagement throughout the process, structured in several steps where conflicts of interest were regularly discussed with all the community (politicians, technical experts, general public);
3. The creation of a ‘turquoise corridor’ which combines the preservation of blue corridors (rivers, streams and wet environments) and green corridors (terrestrial natural habitats)
1. The holistic approach adopted along the whole length of the river: socio-economic uses, biodiversity, water quality, environmentally friendly agriculture, soft mobility, urban cool zone, urban quality of life;
2. Stakeholder engagement throughout the process, structured in several steps where conflicts of interest were regularly discussed with all the community (politicians, technical experts, general public);
3. The creation of a ‘turquoise corridor’ which combines the preservation of blue corridors (rivers, streams and wet environments) and green corridors (terrestrial natural habitats)
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur / Cagnes-sur-Mer / Agence de l’eau RMC
France
Contact
Project Manager