Challenges in developing 'building-with-nature' solutions near tidal inlets

In the ‘Building-with-Nature’(BwN) philosophy, the focus of erosion control no longer is predominantly on counteracting destructive forces, but just as much on stimulating constructive forces. It implies a shift towards a pro-active approach, implying that BwN interventions require a long-term perspective and understanding of the coastal system at a large scale. Furthermore, BwN solutions also require understanding of the social system of stakeholders involved in the coastal problem. It is the interaction between these two that creates a series of challenges for BwN, including the necessity to consider multiple scales in both coastal system and social system and the linkages between them. We argue that a way to meet those challenges may be found in a collaborative design approach (codesign), in which systems understanding is shared between all stakeholders involved in the BwN solution. This approach will be practiced and analyzed for its effectiveness in the CoCoChannel project.