Problem and Knowledge Gap: In the Netherlands, current land-use patterns and water systems are disconnected from natural patterns of water availability and soil suitability. WP leader Martha Bakker proposed a new land-use configuration based on three principles:
- Soil and water determine land use.
- Negative external impacts of land use are minimized.
- Scale benefits (economic and ecological) are optimized.
This approach has been adopted by policymakers and forms the basis of the ‘area-based approach’ in the National Programme for the Rural Area (NPLG). However, it does not account for the spatial complexity and connectivity via ground and surface water. The objective of this work package is to integrate the Nature-Inspired Watershed-scale Guiding Principles (NIPs) from WP1 and WP4 with the three land-use principles. We aim to create a spatial planning support tool that allows users to explore the strengths of the three initial principles, evaluate their effects on landscape configuration, and incorporate NIPs to address spatial dependencies through water. This will lead to a flexible, science-based approach that addresses the main challenges identified in the NPLG.
Research Questions:
- What is the sensitivity of landscape performance to various planning parameters? Landscape performance will be measured using expert-based proxies such as the percentage of N2000 areas within 500m of intensive livestock, and the percentage of peatland under intensive dairying. Water-related performance will be assessed in detail in WP4. The planning parameters include the weights of different layers, cut-off values, and the degree of spatial aggregation.
- How can the NIPs be operationalized in spatial design guidelines? This question will be addressed in collaboration with landscape architect Peter de Ruyter, employing a research-through-design strategy to find the best operational modes.
- What land-use and water system patterns (in terms of scale and connectivity) emerge from the combined principles, and how much variability can exist within certain boundaries of landscape performance?
By answering these questions, we aim to develop a comprehensive spatial planning approach that integrates natural water and land-use patterns, enhancing the sustainability and resilience of Dutch landscapes.