CIW - Water & citizen science platform group

(The morning session will be held in Dutch - The afternoon session will be held in English)

On 20 March 2026, Waterland vzw, Scivil and VUB bring together two themes within the CIW platform group on water–citizen‑science: how citizen science can strengthen area coalitions and how nature‑based solutions work in practice. Participants discover, through Flemish and international examples, how water‑related challenges—such as flooding, groundwater and water quality—are monitored and addressed through modelling, measurement and citizen engagement.

Morning session 

To address the water challenges in Flanders, work will need to take place at the scale of entire areas. Water flows across boundaries and does not limit itself to local problems or municipal borders. Attention to these area‑based processes has increased in recent years, especially with the launch of the Local Blue Deal coalitions in 2026. Citizen science can play a role in putting local water issues on the agenda, supporting monitoring efforts and activating citizens within these coalitions. This makes it an ideal moment within the CIW platform to explore these opportunities.

• 09:30 - 10:15 - Introduction, inspirational pitch and objectives
• 10:20 - 12:15 - Round‑table discussions on three themes, supported by mirror practices
• 12:15 - 13:30 - Plenary closing and networking lunch

Afternoon session

In the afternoon, VUB will host a programme featuring examples from Flanders and across Europe in which nature‑based solutions take centre stage, with water as the connecting element. Through case studies and research from initiatives such as NBsWISE and the EUTOPIA Connected Community, the sessions demonstrate how nature‑based solutions are implemented, monitored and evaluated. Themes include flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, water quality and the role of citizen science in data collection, impact assessment and collaboration with local actors.

Registration is free at: https://lnkd.in/eDCJJYU2