process, as was reported by a farmer within a group operating independently from
the farmers union LTO.
Moreover, the restriction to voluntary approaches for preventive measures also
makes the governance context somewhat inflexible. The general strategy of the
projects is to convince or inspire new groups of farmers to join in voluntary drought
resilience projects and by that having an opportunity to avoid obstacles. Drought
resilience policies should have an impact on spatial planning as Dutch local spatial
plans are relatively inflexible. It is the collaborative relationships and coherence of
the actor groups combined with high level of trust that enable to pool goals,
instruments and resources in such a way that a reasonable positive degree of
flexibility can be assessed. However, such flexibility could be restricted with the
development of more specific accountability regulations in European and national
subsidy schemes. This has already happened in river restoration cases in the Twente
region. A restriction to the development of long-term pooling of resources is furthermore the increased emphasis on the “innovative character” of the projects
proposed. This seems at the surface to promote flexibility, but in fact might turn out
to prevent successful pilot measures to be developed into the implementation of
large area scale projects that really make a difference.
9.4.4 Intensity: How Strongly Do the Elements
in the Dimensions of Governance Urge Changes
in the Status Quo or in Current Developments?
Intensity quality appears to be the weakest point of the governance context for
drought resilience policies in Twente. There seems to be no political support for
forceful measures, but only for voluntary ones in the preventative sphere. The
budget cuts in the sectors of nature development and landscape protection contribute to that. The withdrawal of the national level in the nature policy could have
had serious effects for the funding of the projects but luckily the province took over
on a large part of it. The preference of the province is to concentrate on the position
of Natura 2000 areas. This has implications for to the funds and permissions for the
projects in the pilot area as some that are closer to Natura 2000 areas are easier
financed than other, even though they might be equally well serving agricultural
drought resilience. Also, the WFD directive provides pressure to make water systems more resilient. These two external pressures make the overall assessment of
the intensity as medium.
After the national government stopped the National Landscape programme, and
thus also the northeast of Twente had no longer that official status, the provincial
government kept treating the northeast Twente as one. Since most practical activities in the framework of the landscapes are related to recreation and tourism
development, municipalities play often a leading role in this respect. The water
9 The Fragmentation-Coherence Paradox in Twente
195
the farmers union LTO.
Moreover, the restriction to voluntary approaches for preventive measures also
makes the governance context somewhat inflexible. The general strategy of the
projects is to convince or inspire new groups of farmers to join in voluntary drought
resilience projects and by that having an opportunity to avoid obstacles. Drought
resilience policies should have an impact on spatial planning as Dutch local spatial
plans are relatively inflexible. It is the collaborative relationships and coherence of
the actor groups combined with high level of trust that enable to pool goals,
instruments and resources in such a way that a reasonable positive degree of
flexibility can be assessed. However, such flexibility could be restricted with the
development of more specific accountability regulations in European and national
subsidy schemes. This has already happened in river restoration cases in the Twente
region. A restriction to the development of long-term pooling of resources is furthermore the increased emphasis on the “innovative character” of the projects
proposed. This seems at the surface to promote flexibility, but in fact might turn out
to prevent successful pilot measures to be developed into the implementation of
large area scale projects that really make a difference.
9.4.4 Intensity: How Strongly Do the Elements
in the Dimensions of Governance Urge Changes
in the Status Quo or in Current Developments?
Intensity quality appears to be the weakest point of the governance context for
drought resilience policies in Twente. There seems to be no political support for
forceful measures, but only for voluntary ones in the preventative sphere. The
budget cuts in the sectors of nature development and landscape protection contribute to that. The withdrawal of the national level in the nature policy could have
had serious effects for the funding of the projects but luckily the province took over
on a large part of it. The preference of the province is to concentrate on the position
of Natura 2000 areas. This has implications for to the funds and permissions for the
projects in the pilot area as some that are closer to Natura 2000 areas are easier
financed than other, even though they might be equally well serving agricultural
drought resilience. Also, the WFD directive provides pressure to make water systems more resilient. These two external pressures make the overall assessment of
the intensity as medium.
After the national government stopped the National Landscape programme, and
thus also the northeast of Twente had no longer that official status, the provincial
government kept treating the northeast Twente as one. Since most practical activities in the framework of the landscapes are related to recreation and tourism
development, municipalities play often a leading role in this respect. The water
9 The Fragmentation-Coherence Paradox in Twente
195