Multi-Stakeholder Planning in the Wadden Sea

The Wadden Sea is the largest intertidal mudflat system in the world – a system under heavy pressure from bottom-trawling and coastal defense structures for decades. In 2020, the Dutch government launched a program in which government agencies, non-governmental organizations and business representatives are working together to restore the ecosystem and create a participatory governance structure.  FOS has been instrumental in helping these diverse stakeholders collaborate to develop a solid strategic plan and, over time, implement it, monitor its success, learn, and adapt – key steps in the adaptive management process.