Management aspects of Building with Nature projects in the context of the EU Bird and Habitat Directives

The implementation of the EU Bird and Habitat Directives by the ports and dredging industry caused severe project disruptions across North-West Europe in the past. The prevalence of negative experience triggered a new approach, which aims to integrate site-specific ecosystem characteristics and project objectives during the development of the initial project design. This approach is termed ‘Building with Nature’. The authorities and practitioners hope that the new approach will improve project implementation within the existing framework of the Bird and Habitat Directives. In this paper we review a total of twelve projects in the field of dredging against the definition of ‘Building with Nature’. For each project we highlight the outcome of assessment according to article 6 of the EU Habitat Directive. In conclusion we assess if there is a connection between the application of Building with Nature and the outcome of assessment under article 6 Habitat Directive.