TIDE considers tidally influenced NSR estuaries with large sediment transportation which are used as shipping channels to large harbours. The ecosystem services of intertidal and shallow estuarine habitats are threatened and need to be considered to ensure economic benefits and the maintenance of ecologically important areas. At the same time decision-makers at these estuaries are faced with an increasingly challenging legal and global economic framework.
TIDE will lead the path towards a more sustainable and effective use of large scale investments made into mitigation and compensation measures in NSR estuaries by applying for the first time a unified ecosystem approach to guide the process of integrated participatory management planning. Thus TIDE will not only improve the effectiveness of European, national and regional policy and provide instruments for regional development, but will make an essential contribution towards a more sustainable and effective use of investment into North Sea estuaries - since their planning will be based on a unified assessment concept and integrated management planning procedures.
Duration
01/01/2010 - 31/12/2012
Priority
2 - Promoting the Sustainable Management of our Environment
Area of Intervention
2.1 Sustainable development of the coastal land and sea areas through integrated coastal zone management
Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Agency
Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
University of Bremen
The Netherlands
Rijkswaterstaat
Belgium
Flemish Authorities, Department of Mobility and Public Works
Antwerp Port Authority
University of Antwerp
United Kingdom
Environment Agency
Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, University of Hull
Background and Aim
Aim The TIDE approach will link ecosystem services with economic values by coupling the physical needs for economical development with quantified ecosystem resilience needs. TIDE will also derive and implement new solution-oriented initiatives. Thus TIDE will not only improve the effectiveness of European, national and regional policy and provide instruments for regional development, but will make an essential contribution towards a more sustainable and effective use of investment into North Sea estuaries.
Background TIDE focuses on macro tidal estuaries used as shipping channels leading to large harbours further inland. Increasing in the future is tidal action and sediment transportation that is very high and will steadily increase as the ecosystem services of intertidal and shallow estuarine habitats are threatened. At the same time decision-makers at these estuaries are faced with an increasingly challenging legal and global economic framework. Clear objectives and tools are needed to ensure the proper implementation of the EU directives such as the BHD and WFD. By quantifying resilience as a concept within the TIDE project it will be possible for the first time to synchronise the initiatives of estuaries which feature the same problems.
Expected Outcomes
Create same level of understanding among regional & international partners;
Set up of regional estuary working groups (REWG);
SWOT analysis in each estuary as basis for future activities - areas for improvement identified;
Devise a specific roadmap for an Integrated Estuarine Management Plan for each demo area (SRIEMP): activity plan for project period and beyond;
Convince policy makers: Harmonized starting point for future estuary management;
Refined SRIEMP produced for each estuary;
Stronger involvement of stakeholders & general public in all estuaries;
Improve knowledge on morphological and ecological interrelation - diminish return of dredged material into estuary;
TIDE Measure Box available to other estuary managers, experts and decision-makers;
Basis laid for estuary specific tasks and comparative analyses;
Further development of tools, measures, governance structures - TORs for joint guidelines.
October 2010 - March 2011
The first project results outcomes becoming apparent. For example, each of the estuary areas have now finalized their estuary zonation schemes and organisational remits have been developed.
A link to TIDE was made in the EU Commission's 'Guidelines on the implementation of the birds and habitats directives in estuaries and coastal zones, with particular attention to port development and dredging and in the EU Commission Staff Working Document 'Integrating biodiversity and nature protection into port development'.
The project recently received a visit from Japan's National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, River Environment Division. This provided an opportunity for the project to share their knowledge and experience with their Japanese colleagues.
April - September 2010
Working groups have been set up for specific tasks, blue prints developed and where necessary approaches refined. The project has been carrying out these tasks using different transnational approaches, including a Transnational Working Group.
With regards blue prints the inter-estuarine comparison was split into the three given topics of a) hydrology, b) geomorphology and c) ecology. Coordinators prepared blue prints for each topic and discussed them in the related working groups together with historical change reports. A first blue print of the sand balance approach was also made. As part of the geomorphological component, a proposal was made for a comparison of all four TIDE estuaries based on a simple analytical model approach.
Also, the project's four Regional Working Groups (one for each estuary region) have been set up. For example, in Humber: The group has been formed by members of the Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies, Associated British Ports (ABP) and the Humber Management Scheme's project officer (representing 30 relevant authorities). Other possible bodies will be consulted when required.
October 2009 - March 2010
The TIDE Kick-Off Conference took place in Antwerp on 22 February 2010. It involved external speakers up to EU level i.e. Francois Kremer, EU Commission; Victor de Jonge, EMS estuary; Charles Simenstad, US estuaries; Pierre Bona, GIP Loire informing about TIDE project purpose and linking into other estuary developments. In addition, a first set of local press-articles and TV news were published to highlight start of project. They included an article in "Hull Daily Mail News". In addition, there was a TV broadcast about the project on regional television (ATV on 8 March 2010) and a Lloyd TV web-cast (23 February 2010).
The project has progressed well in its start-up phase, with different activities being initiated within each of the projects six work packages. Activities undertaken include the establishment of the project management and communication systems, initial/research orientated work i.e. experience gathering/collection of data and preparatory or kick off meetings. Guidance has also been produced for each of the work packages - prepared in cooperation with the project partners.
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