External communications/media relations/community involvement

Experiences of the SDF project

Ute Menke (Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management,

The Netherlands)

INTERREG IIIB communications seminar, Amsterdam, October 5&6, 2006

• Development of Floodplains for sustainable and

multifunctional use along the River Rhine in

order to reduce the flood risk.

• 2 Dutch & 5 German partners

Rijkswaterstaat

DLG

SDF - goals & partners

SDF - project areas

SDF - external communications

Static ones:

• printed brochures – 3 languages

• posters (SDF and pilot projects)

• Website - 3 languages

• Outdoor boards/signs at pilot locations

while implementing measures

• SDF video clip

SDF - external communicationsDynamic ones:

• Website - 3 languages

• Representation of SDF during EU conferences, water

exhibitions (e.g. EU Flood Directive, Acqua alta) and EU

networks (e.g. ECRR)

• SDF and JTS organised ICFRM conference in Mainz

October 2005

• Representation of SDF within INTERREG workshops,

seminars and conferences

• SDF Partner action support

SDF - media relation

• PR through press releases and press invitations with

opening of implemented measures (e.g. opening

ceremonies of polders, ground breaking ceremonies

and certain activities e.g. conferences, seminars) of the

lead partner and SDF partners

• Support of PR actions of the SDF partners

• PR through the (along the River Rhine well-known

“Rheinkolleg”) by delivering SDF articles

SDF - community involvement

• Dutch partners supporting German public

participation actions (mediator & jury member);

e.g. examples of the Emschergenossenschaft

(Germany)

• Official visits of the SDF group to stakeholders

of the implementation projects e.g. example of

the visit to the municipality of Westervoort (The

Netherlands)

• Dutch mediator during public hearing in

Dortmund about the implementation of the

retention areas

SDF - community involvement (1)

SDF - community involvement (2)

• Dutch jury member within the contest for

planning of a new Emscher bridge (Germany)

SDF - community involvement (3)

• Emschergenossenschaft on site visit with public

and political parties to engineering works

SDF - community involvement (4)• SDF group visited the Mayor and the council of Westervoort to get

support and better understanding for the dike relocation measures

(lectures, discussions with public including the enviromental NGO’s)

SDF - what makes the difference?• Good reliable transnational cooperation between all partners and between the countries

• Pilot project leaders keep good contact with their “surrounding and people”

• Everybody does the best to support the others

• SDF is APPROACHABLE!!

• Website: www.sdfproject.nl (in German, Dutch and English language)

• SDF brochure is available as download or printed copy in German, Dutch, French and English language

• Printed proceedings of Mainz are available!

SDF - further information