Nature-based solutions – for nature and people

The consequences of climate change, in the form of extremes such as droughts and above-average precipitation, create significant pressure on nature as well as on people and the environments they live in.

Nature-based solutions help reduce these pressures. These include interventions in natural freshwater ecosystems that increase water retention capacity in urban and peri-urban areas. Such interventions are referred to as “Natural Water Retention Measures.”

These solutions, their mainstreaming among key stakeholders and citizens, the creation of supportive policies, and the application of good practices are the focus of the RESTORIVER project, which is being implemented in the Danube region under the Interreg DTP program.

In early October, representatives of 15 partner organizations and 2 associated partners gathered in Zagreb for a regular meeting to review the status of project activities, as well as the challenges and opportunities encountered during its implementation. On this occasion, the hosts—Zagreb Nature Public Institution and WWF Adria—with support from the associated partner, the Institute for Environment and Nature of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, introduced their guests to the natural values of the city and the planned interventions—Natural Water Retention Measures—in Maksimir Park.

The Savica Significant Landscape impressed as an example of a wetland area within an urban setting, which, through its biodiversity and the services it provides to citizens in terms of recreation and nature experiences, contributes to the quality of life in Zagreb.

Maksimir Park, with its system of watercourses and artificial lakes that ultimately connect to the city’s sewage system, is an ideal demonstration site for implementing solutions that help preserve natural ecosystems during droughts and reduce the burden on urban infrastructure—sewage systems—during periods of heavy rainfall.

Through this project, which concludes in June 2026 after 2.5 years of implementation, we aim to ensure a better understanding and acceptance of nature-based solutions by citizens and other stakeholders. We will test specific interventions and the necessary procedures and processes in 6 pilot areas, and through concrete recommendations, influence policy adaptation to enable systematic application of solutions that benefit both nature and people.