The recent meeting on December 11th at Palazzo Dieci Savi in Venice, Italy, provided an opportunity to continue the collaborative work on co-designing restoration strategies for implementing Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in various lagoon habitats.
The event, organised by PROV, CORILA, and CMCC, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders from public and private entities, NGOs, and local organisations, all sharing a specific interest in safeguarding the Venice Lagoon. These individuals are members of the Coastal Restoration Platform (CORE-PLAT) project, which aims to activate a participatory process for co-designing and co-managing restoration actions in the Venice Lagoon pilot. The project also seeks to foster dialogue among stakeholders and other experts, gathering valuable suggestions and "lessons learned" from previous experiences.
The workshop, attended by representatives from over 20 different entities, played a crucial role towards a common vision for upscaling restoration activities in the Venice Lagoon. Various interventions during the workshop improved the participants' comprehension of the potential environmental, economic, and socio-cultural benefits of NBS-based restoration activities in the lagoon. Importantly, the workshop allowed the brainstorming on environmental, socio-economic, and technological barriers to upscaling restoration activities, proposing enabling factors and solutions to overcome these challenges. Additionally, a list of recovery interventions prioritized for the Venice Lagoon was created, taking into account the sensitivity, perspectives, and interests of each stakeholder.
A technical session in the afternoon, limited to CORILA, CMCC, and Umberto Pernice (PCIM, partner of REST-COAST), focused on understanding the potential financial sustainability of upscaling restoration interventions in the Venice Lagoon. Moving forward, partners and stakeholders will collaborate in the coming months to co-develop financial strategies and business plans, aiming to sustain and upscale ecological restoration efforts for the Venice Lagoon.