The Crosscut project: sustainable development of inland waterways

Summary of the Crosscut project

The Crosscut project is a European study programme which aims mainly at analysing practices and pioneering solutions about waterways.

The programme explores in particular the risks of conflict between the objective of re-opening canals for sailing and recreational activities, and the parallel objective of environment and biodiversity preservation. (see mapping)

Initiated in June 2003, the project will end in December 2006. The closing conference will be held in October 2006 in Lille and will provide the experts of the Crosscut project and those of the Blue Links project with the opportunity to meet and share experiences.

The themes examined under the project echoes the context and the challenges of the re-opening to through navigation of the Deûle–Escaut link concerned by the Blue Links project.

> Crosscut website

Interreg IIIB priority– North West Europe (NWE):
The Crosscut project fully fulfils two major measures of the European programme:

1. The use of the lands and the waterways networks
The project aims at encouraging in particular:

• the integrated and sustainable management of water in terms of quality and quantity , with a view to prevent pollution, to protect and enhance habitats and to reduce to a minimum resource dredging,

• awareness, knowledge and cooperation on isues related to watreway and river networks in the NWE area while taking account of the wider European dimension.

2. Protection and imaginative enhancement of cultural heritage

The North West Europe area (NWE)

The project deals with four themes: 1. Strategic development of a waterway network for recreational purposes in the NWE area 2. Development of a “tool box” aiming at: a) Reconciling sailing and leisures on restored waterways with preservation of ecology and biodiversity; b) Integrating in the best possible way newly re-opened waterways in the urban and rural areas they run through. 3. Promotion of the network and active communication on the challenges involved towards the stake holders and opinion leaders – in particular towards local populations (through consultations,...) and children (through educational initiatives). 4. Management of the project and reports
Theme 1 - Strategic development of a waterway network 1 Developing and testing classification criteria for recreational waterways in NWE, using the system proposed by the UN-ECE and complemented by PIANC). 2 Identifying the missing links and bottlenecks in the recreational waterway network against the above classification system (this action will be the direct continuation of the preliminary works carried out under the sustainable development of inland waterways project completed under Interreg IIC). 3 Investigating the different treatments for boat wastewaters in the NWE area countries, taking into account the EU directive relating to water.
Theme 2 – Development of a “tool box” This second theme is of particular interest for the Blue Links project as it relates to identify the stakes linked to introduction or re-introduction of boats or recreational activities in previously abandoned or little used waterways. The tool box developed by each partner takes into account the following 8 stakes:
1. Sailing against ecology and biodiversity British Waterways – Montgomery Canal Action : a) Alternative conception/configuration study of the canal space aiming at maximising the biodiversity, benefiting from investigations carried out on the ralationship between sailing and ecology within the sustainable development of inland waterways completed under Interreg IIC; b) Restoration of part of the canal section currently dry using the typical cuts which will have proved most favorable; c) Follow-up of the use of the restored section in order to assess the impacts on ecology. 2. Soft banks management *Waterschap Veluwe – Apeldoorn Canal* Study of the techniques and experimental investment in the soft bank treatment of the canal in the crossing of the town of Apeldoorn, to maximise the environmental value and the cultural heritage. 3. Restoration and environmentally sound management of the hard quay walls *Gemeente Utrecht – Utrecht shortcut* Study and pilot investment concerning the refurbishment of old quay walls to maximise the quay soft treatment. 4. Ecological dredgings *Grand Western Canal – Devon County* Study and pilot investment concerning the different techniques of disposal of the dredgings, demonstrating how this can reduce at minimum the ecological footprint. 5. Sanitary services Britany canals Investment in the building of sanitary units for boat wastewaters. The evacuation of the wastewaters takes account of the results of the studies carried out under theme 1. This will aim at demonstrating how the wastewater treatment facilities can be adapted to the different contexts – urban, rural, etc. 6 . Invading species *Torfaen Council – Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal* Studies on invading species control methods. 7/8. Links with the wider corridor a) Waterschap Veluwe - Apeldoorn Canal Studies on the development of green recreational areas, linking the canal to industrial/residential areas in cities. b) City of Gand Integration of urban recreational waterways in the historical city centres. c) Torfaen Council – Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Creation of a canal basin as a focus for the new housing development in the countryside. d) British Waterways – Montgomery Canal Creation of wet areas and ecological buffer zones on lands running along the canal, and incitement to economic diversification of the agricultural practices, in collaboration with the local farmers and other land owners. Integration and synergy between the projects are secured by a team of experts, called “resource team”, made up by representatives of different partner structures. Among these experts are ingineers (civil and hydraulic engineers), ecologists, architects, lanscape architect, urban planners, social animators (specialised in “liaison with the population”), heads of trafic management. (In the project budget, the working time spent for that purpose are taken into account on the basis of one week per person per year). The resource team's mission is as follows: 1. sharing experience and knowledge through the "networking" components of the project; 2. advising the heads of specific projects within their field(s) of competence; 3. assessing what works and what does not work, as well as the transferability of the technics between different countries or contexts; 4. dealing with the monitoring of the development of the "toolbox". At the end of the project, the role of the resource team itself will be submitted to assesment, in order to determine wether a centre of excellence could be settled or not (and how), with a view to advise more widely on projects dealing with reopening canals to navigation.
Theme 3 – Promotion and educational action 1 Development of an observatory to promote the results of actions and works, in particular through educational initiatives and teaching Hainaut Province ? 2 Pilot project of a virtual classroom Development of audiovisual links between schools Torfaen Council (with the Hainaut Province?) 3 Technics of liaison with the population Torfaen Council
Theme 4 – Project management and reports >> >>

The Crosscut project: sustainable development of inland waterways

Summary of the Crosscut project

The project deals with four themes:

1. Strategic development of a waterway network for recreational purposes in the NWE area
2. Development of a “tool box” aiming at:

3. Promotion of the network and active communication on the challenges involved towards the stake holders and opinion leaders – in particular towards local populations (through consultations,...) and children (through educational initiatives).
4. Management of the project and reports

Theme 1 - Strategic development of a waterway network

Theme 2 – Development of a “tool box”

1. Sailing against ecology and biodiversity

2. Soft banks management

3. Restoration and environmentally sound management of the hard quay walls

4. Ecological dredgings

5. Sanitary services

6 . Invading species

7/8. Links with the wider corridor

Theme 3 – Promotion and educational action

Theme 4 – Project management and reports

Credits

The Crosscut project: sustainable development of inland waterways

Summary of the Crosscut project

The project deals with four themes:

1. Strategic development of a waterway network for recreational purposes in the NWE area 2. Development of a “tool box” aiming at:

3. Promotion of the network and active communication on the challenges involved towards the stake holders and opinion leaders – in particular towards local populations (through consultations,...) and children (through educational initiatives).4. Management of the project and reports

Theme 1 - Strategic development of a waterway network

Theme 2 – Development of a “tool box”

1. Sailing against ecology and biodiversity

2. Soft banks management

3. Restoration and environmentally sound management of the hard quay walls

4. Ecological dredgings

5. Sanitary services

6 . Invading species

7/8. Links with the wider corridor

Theme 3 – Promotion and educational action

Theme 4 – Project management and reports

Credits

1. Strategic development of a waterway network for recreational purposes in the NWE area
2. Development of a “tool box” aiming at:

3. Promotion of the network and active communication on the challenges involved towards the stake holders and opinion leaders – in particular towards local populations (through consultations,...) and children (through educational initiatives).
4. Management of the project and reports