Placement Booklet of Amelia C. Chelsoi

Amelia C. Chelsoi

2023-2024 BrabantNEXT//Province of North Brabant Breda University of Applied Sciences - Built Environment Track - Urban Planning student No. 213636

PLACEMENT REPORT

GREEN HIVES

Activating youth engagement in voluntary work for nature

Figure 1. Impression of Outdoor Community Space, Author, 2023

PREFACE This report serves not only as an alternative perspective for the leaders of the North Brabant Provincial Green Volunteering Program, but also as a reminder.

The energy of youth is the main driving force of creating impact for them. By comprehending the youth, we allow young people to stay inspired and excited.

A note of gratitude goes to all the interviewees involved, for the openness in sharing their personal experiences, which served as a profound basis for this research and the outcomes of this project.

I am appreciative towards the collaborative spirit at the institutions involved, BrabantNEXT for sharing meaningful methods and skills, The Provincial Council of North Brabant for entrusting international students to represent a voice for a target group, and Breda University of Applied Sciences, for facilitating the connection with the working field and clients. To the company coordinator and university coach, sincere thanks for the collective guidance throughout this learning process.

RELEVANCE This research aligns with the goal set by members of the Provincial Council of North Brabant, of ensuring the sustainability and growth of their ‘Green -3-

Volunteers’ public participation ‘Impulse’ program. The project provides a new perspective into strategies for attracting and retaining new environmental volunteers, enabling them to make informed decisions and influence a proactive attitude among the youth.

In the broader context of spatial planning, this research highlights the versatility of the field, demonstrating how spatial interventions in natural spaces can motivate public engagement in various community initiatives.

It is emphasizing the role of urban planning in green spaces in encouraging engaged communities and promoting a feeling of environmental contribution.

ABSTRACT Throughout a period of 5 months, this project has explored ways in which a spatial planning program is able to activate powerful, new motivators to engage youth with an existing interest in nature in environmental volunteering activities in natural areas within the North Brabant Province.

The primary focus is to facilitate a transition from an older, Dutchoriented demographic to a more diverse and youthful volunteering group, but also to connect ecoconscious young individuals to opportunities of taking action in nature. By investigating public participation initiatives of green space volunteering in the Province, this project identifies an innovative planning strategy for activating a new, young target group in being environmentally responsible, through ways that resonate with the values and aspirations of contemporary youth. This strategy is proposing a shifting and repurposing of the current functions at the level

of current volunteering hubs, to be transformed in communal community spaces designated for each of the volunteering roles.

It is suggested that, by promoting green volunteering as a community activity, rather than an immediate way to care for nature, more young volunteers will be attracted. Changing and repurposing the current community’s volunteer hubs locations seems attractive.

By merging spatial development in public, green areas of North Brabant and social responsibility through environmental voluntary work, the project’s end product seeks to spark the enthusiasm of eco-conscious youth, therefore facilitating a shift in the volunteering group demographics, while reinforcing environmental ownership attitudes of the youth.

-4-

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

INSIGHTS

IDEATION & CONCEPTING

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Plan of Approach.

Findings

Nature Vision

Result & Implementation

Orientation Context Company Overview Client & Assignment Problem Description Project Brief The Problem on 3 levels Research Process & Questions Client Question Own Project Question Sub-Questions Model Methodology Research Planning Scope of Work & Limitations

Green Hive Network Background Community Building (In Nature) Nature Relevance in The NL Community National Nature Network Added Function Brabant Nature Network Accessibility Volunteer-Protected Nature Stakeholders Green Volunteering Conventional Volunteering Zoom-In Project Site Youth Network Nature Network Liveability Scores Accessibility -5-

Program Success Criteria Regulation Levels Risks and Reccomendations Implementation Budgeting & Subsidy Opportunity Next Phases

Reference List

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH 01

PLAN OF APPROACH

ORIENTATION CONTEXT This research and analysis are undergone as part of a work placement, which serves as a condition for the continuation of the third year in the ‘Built Environment’ study within Breda University of Applied Sciences.

This thesis will be composed throughout the placement period according to institutional guidelines, under supervision of assigned university coach and company supervisor.

PLACEMENT COMPANY OVERVIEW BrabantNEXT is a publicoriented organisation based in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, which advises the provincial government of North Brabant on environmental and societal challenges. Usercentric solutions are created, with the primary focus on citizens and their desires. The company is connecting the public, with students and working professionals at the North Brabant Provincial Council in order to build future citizen well-

Figure 2: 3 pillars of BrabantNEXT, Author, 2023 (adapted from BrabantNEXT logo, 2021)

being.

The company’s working structure is based on Innovative Working using the Innovation Funnel. The 4 stages of this method are: 1. Insights - gathering and analysing data 2. Ideation - brainstorming sessions with experts and target group 3. Concepting and Prototyping developing a concept based on multiple series of user tests with the help of physical or visual prototypes for the chosen concept 4. Implementation - Turning the concept into a tangible product, service or device, and setting the base for launching it.

Innovation experts guide the project participants throughout these phases.

colleagues, entrepreneurs, and students work together on current challenges (Figure 2). The approach includes researching, formulating, testing, and implementing concepts. The clients who proposed the assignment I am working for are the project leader for Nature Management, Landscape and Society, and a Nature and Landscape Consultant for the Province of North Brabant.

Within BrabantNEXT there are currently three ongoing projects: 1. Health in Brabant: This project focuses on improving public health, by enhancing the wellbeing of residents and promote a generally healthier lifestyle in the Brabant region, through the policy table.

2. Youth Participation: The Province recognizes the importance of engaging young people in decision-making processes. This project seeks ways to empower the youth by

CLIENT AND ASSIGNMENTS The BrabantNEXT Workplace, located on the Tramkade in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, serves as a collaborative space where -8-

INNOVATION TRAJECTORIES

PIONEERING

DEVELOPING SKILLS

involving them in decisions that affect their living community, as well as to raise awareness about the Province’s duties.

3. Activation of Green Space Volunteers (current project’s focus): To promote environmentally-conscious initiatives, and community engagement, BrabantNEXT has an ongoing project to empower youth to participate in the preservation of green space locally, thereby contributing to both personal growth of participants, and communal benefits (aesthetic, climate adaptive and environmentallybeneficial natural public space). This study explores the aforementioned project’s development phases in the course of 5 months, and its potential future impact.

PROBLEM DESCRIPTION A big part of Dutch citizens are active as environmental volunteers, participating in both projects from non-governmental organisations and green citizen initiatives that care for nature. The team of environmental volunteers is referred to and known as ‘green volunteers’. The green volunteers play a crucial role in conservating natural green space within mainly the Natura 2000 as well as other protected nature networks in The Netherlands. The volunteers engage in (practical) nature care activities, as well as educating the community on the importance of nature and green spaces.1

and Society, Province of North Brabant, 2023)

stakeholders to pay extra attention to the situation, and the office of BrabantNEXT translated the challenge into a placement assignment, which resulted into this case study.

Research shows that the current volunteer base is slowly aging.

The profile of the current green volunteer shows a high average age, the volunteering group being overrepresented by Dutch men with a very high level of education.2

volunteers.

The problem can be separated across 3 levels:

1. The Province Level In recent years, the province of PROJECT BRIEF North Brabant has faced a lack In order to address the risk of of youth participation in nature insufficient engagement, and preservation by voluntary work. ensure effective volunteerBy addressing this issue, the driven environmental initiatives, decay of natural space in the With this, diversity and longevity the clients from the Provincial province is prevented, which is become concerns within the Government of North Brabant are crucial. volunteering group. looking for ways to diversify their Existing time constraints This is problematic, as the volunteer base, by: of the stakeholders hinder predominantly older demographic • Activating more green efforts to incorporate youth group might eventually reduce volunteers while making its voluntary participation due environmental volunteering more in their services, and modify their organisational structure to age. With the lack of diverse attractive for youth, therefore against these demotivating YOUTH DISENGAGEMENT AS volunteers comes a risk of expanding both the amount of factors. The province intends A LONGEVITY THREAT insufficient engagement and participation and the age group to change this mindset and ‘In the North Brabant Province, limited sustainable volunteering participating. a small part of Dutch citizens actions, hindering the continuity • Promoting inclusivity within the develop environmental are very enthusiastic about of environmental volunteering team of environmental volunteers. initiatives that include the needs of their new target engaging in outdoor activity in initiatives in North Brabant’s • Increasing the impact of the 3 group, the youth, however the their free time. However, they are nature. volunteers by measuring the not active in preserving nature current impact of the volunteering responsible organisations lack an in any way.’ (Consultants of The identified challenge initiatives, and generate a higher understanding of the target group they seek to reach.

Nature Management, Landscape determined the Province impact of the upcoming green -9-

2. The Green Volunteering NGOs level The Provincial Council partners with 7 Non-Governmental Organisations in managing the environmental volunteering program, which BrabantNEXT offers consultancy for. The NGO representants shared that they experience difficulties in engaging young volunteers in their ‘Green Volunteering’ program. Since this was not a focus group, there has been a lack of attention for this target audience up until now.

This is caused by difficulty in both attracting and maintaining new young volunteers, and it is exacerbated by limited resources (time/funding/coordinators) for the younger generation. (Nature for Brabanders, Province of North Brabant, 2023) The organisations that manage the nature volunteering program are open to collaborate and engage the youth in their decision-making process in order to adapt to this, but there is a knowledge gap in how to improve the current situation. As the focus of the organisations in recent years was on the older generation, this is also the generation (over)representing the

current group of volunteers.

volunteering for youth.

3. The Youth Level The young population in Brabant does not currently find environmental volunteering attractive, therefore they are not motivated to join in the program. Based on the young interviewees’ point of view, the main reasons for this are lack of time, and motivation to engage in an activity with a different demography. More demotivating factors identified by the target audience are restricting rules, lack of acknowledgment of personal contribution, poor working conditions, absence of good interpersonal relations, confounding leadership, and low tangible results.

Furthermore, volunteer activities at the moment take place during business hours, and the member sign-up process is not straight forward, which discourages young people who would rather provide irregular, rare and lowcommitment contributions, such as on nature celebration days.

In these types of activity, longterm recruitment is disregarded, and it is difficult to highlight the beneficial components of regular -10-

RESEARCH PROCESS & RESEARCH QUESTIONS The aim of this study is to uncover the reasons for the lack of diversity at the volunteer group level, and to investigate ways to make the volunteering activities more appealing for the youth, in order to engage this target demographic in the provincial program.

Based on the findings, an intervention will be developed based on strategies for improving the current situation. The current nature, environment and social context of Brabant will be taken into account. The identified problem will be investigated on the three levels mentioned in the previous section, with the guidance and perspectives of urban planning supervisors, working internally at the Provincial Council.

The outcomes of this study are intended to bring a new perspective to the action plan set by the 7 NGOs of the Green Volunteering initiative, in

collaboration with the Province of this vision is to create public North Brabant. space interventions that will inspire and involve North Following an examination Brabant’s young environmental of the profile, motivations volunteers. and experiences of youth volunteering, the objective is to To achieve this research goal, use demographic information the study presents the following about the target population, research questions: to look for locations of a new intervention integrated into the • Client question: How can ecopublic natural environment of conscious youth be motivated North Brabant, with younger in getting involved in the generations of volunteers serving conservation of North Brabant’s as the intended audience for the nature, by joining the team of spatial intervention.

Green Volunteers?

The goal of the research is to search for youth volunteering motivators, and to assess how a new spatial planning programme would generate an increased public participation in Brabant’s nature conservation.

The study’s outcome is an environmental vision that bridges the generational gap and concentrates on the voluntary work field in the province’s natural areas. The objective of

• Field-oriented question - Being derived from the general assignment’s research question, the research question encapsulates this thesis’ objective: What spatial program can be implemented in the North Brabant nature, that meets the needs, requirements and lifestyle of the upcoming generation of Green Volunteers?

• Sub-questions: -11-

1. What is the difference between ‘green volunteers’ and ‘regular volunteers’? (condition, age, gender, interests, education) 2. What is the current natural environment for green volunteering in North Brabant like? Does it currently match with the condition of the eco-conscious youth?

3. What are current motivators and obstacles for current ‘green volunteers’ and for eco-conscious youth to pursue environmental volunteering in North Brabant?

4. What type of environmental projects are interesting for the eco-conscious youth, and how accessible are these projects for them?

5. How can motivators of ecoconscious youth to pursue green volunteering be translated into urban planning strategies?

6. What methods are being used

by Green Volunteering NGOs to attract the youth?

7. How can the Green Volunteering NGOs manage a spatial programme concerning North Brabant’s natural environment?

Each chapter corresponds to a sub-question, and the answers to these will be concluded in the chapter’s conclusion.

DEFINITION OF TERMS This section serves as clarification of the key terms and concepts mentioned in the study, allowing the reader to more effectively engage with the research topic and navigate the document.

The United Nations defines ‘youth’ as a transitional phase from childhood dependence to adult independence, but this is a relatively flexible category compared to fixed age-groups.

Youth typically refers to individuals between the ages of leaving compulsory education and securing their first job.4 For the purpose of this study, ‘youth’ is defined by individuals aged 15 to 35, as this specific

age group represents the target of the research.

questionnaire, is work done for no compensation for any group or organisation, with friends, or The term ‘eco-conscious youth’ by oneself.7 Generally speaking, refers to young individuals ‘environmental volunteering’ (youth) who are aware and show refers to work undertaken for the concern for the environment (eco- benefit of nature.8 conscious)5.

Precisely, the ‘Green Volunteers’ The group that is of interest for designate both the 7 green nonthis study is represented by youth governmental organisations with a desire to actively engage that manage the environmental in environmentally responsible volunteering program in the causes that address and mitigate province, the ‘Impulse Green environmental challenges, but do Volunteering’, and the public not yet show any participatory they support (the volunteers behaviour in this regard. themselves). The latter mentioned group consists of individuals who ‘Nature’, defined as ‘green are committed to protecting plant space’ consists of parks, forests, and animal species via practical green fields, waterways and activities for maintaining the other natural areas that exist Brabant landscape and nature. independently of people.6 The practical ‘green volunteering’ activities can be categorized as Specifically, in this study, nature follows9: consists of the natural, public environment within urban or rural 1. Enumeration - biodiversity settings in the province of North monitoring (birdwatching, flora Brabant, The Netherlands. Some and fauna observation) examples are natural areas with extensive woods and wetlands.

2. Wildlife Conservation - park According to most studies, and (walking, cycling, hiking) ‘volunteering’ is ‘work done trail maintenance; tree planting; through an organisation for which river and waterway cleanthere is no pay’. Volunteering, ups; agriculture (community based on the DoSomething.org gardening, urban farming) -12-

3. Education - involvement in educating and raising awareness within the community on environmental issues through workshops, presentations, school programs 4. Management and Policy administration work, contributions to policy regarding nature and landscape

SCOPE OF WORK & LIMITATIONS Whilst the impact of the green volunteers on the environment has been documented, the particular case of the Green Volunteers in North Brabant has not been explored as much.

Moreover, while it is clear that the continuity of the generations of volunteers is at risk given the current volunteers’ average age, it is not yet clear what could drive the younger generations to be more driven in joining the volunteer organisation, and how urban planning policy in addition to the joint action of stakeholders and partner organisations can contribute to growing a proactive attitude.

The scope of the study is limited to recruiting 5000 new environmental volunteers between the ages of 16 and 35 on the span of 5 years, in total for all the Green Volunteering environmental NGOs in the Province, who will be contacted either in person (interviews, workshops, educational discussions) and via different remote communication methods (e-mail, advertisements, printed and online published promotional material). This recruitment period will be enabled within the placement period (5 months) and is aiming for recruiting a minimum of 100 new young volunteers since the Green Volunteers organisation will initiate the project.

will be developed to facilitate the recruitment process.

It is suggested that the activation process could be made more effective by exploring aspects of green public space, appropriate to the local context of voluntary work, to provide additional benefits to upcoming environmental volunteer members.

This study report will compile the end results of the placement period, and information from all phases of the project will be included.

‘For example, a concrete objective is that if we have 8,000 volunteers, we want to Various spatial techniques grow to 9,000 volunteers in learned in the educational the next 5 years.’ program and innovative tools (Smits T., Strategy and communications officer at State Forestry Management, 2023)

acquired from the placement company will be applied during the volunteer activation process.

A spatial intervention toolbox -13-

RESEARCH MODEL

Figure 3: Research Model, Author, 2023

BrabantNEXT

North Brabant Province

clients

Impulse Green Volunteering Programme

provincial action plan

Netherlands Nature Network the voluntary work field/natural environment

Conclusions & Implementation Plan

Potential of spatial planning implementations to serve as a motivator for the eco-conscious youth

Innovation Toolkit Spatial Techniques

-14-

Ambition of clients to attract ecoconscious youth to pursue Green Volunteering client question personal project

intern team projects AI contribution to attracting ecoconscious youth

A nature preservation platform for young enthusiasts.

Philosophy contribution to innovation in government

Communication strategies for volunteer recruitment

Busines Perspectives & Product Development

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study follows the ‘Innovation Funnel’, therefore it mostly contains user-based research methods.

The research approach is qualitative, with an emphasis on the environment of the target group (intended users), as a context for the implementation of an environmental vision. This option allows for a more complex understanding of experiences, perceptions, and behaviours which are constantly taken into account. Each proposal will be tested with end users on a regular basis.

Qualitative data will be collected through constant engagement with a community of users and experts, through interviews, and a survey meant to gather input, and their experiences and expectations regarding an environmental proposal/ innovation. An in-depth spatial analysis will be conducted in a small-scale, ‘template’ location,

for a better understanding of the urban living context related to these experiences, and for activating a program of implementations at a provincial scale later on.

other publications from the provincial government and environmental organisations.

In parallel to the standard research activity, an informal journal will be kept. This journal will capture the researcher’s personal experiences and observations throughout the study, providing a reflective note of the research period. The journal will use a storytellingbased narrative style. This is mainly the basis for the ‘competency portfolio’ a document put together to describe in more depth the process phases of the placement project.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES 1. Literature Review & Database Search: • Data relating to environmental volunteering will be gathered from literature sources, case studies, books, resources from

• Using key terms, such as words related to ‘volunteering’, ‘environmental volunteering’, ‘work in nature’, ‘voluntary work’, ‘North Brabant Nature’ and any combination of these to search in academic databases (Google Scholar, Online BUas Library) 2. Data Collection - Desk & Field Research: • Connecting with local green volunteering organisations and participating in ongoing volunteering projects, regular meetings and activities such as field site visits for analysing the field for green volunteering and to fill in the gaps in literature, collecting relevant data and providing conclusions based on it • Semi-structured interviews with the Green Volunteering NGOs (stakeholders), spatial domain workers from the Province House,

-15-

BrabantNEXT intern group & supervisors, and with the upcoming users - 16 to 35, ecoconscious youth (target group).

• Stakeholder engagement, with spatial domain workers, supervisors of interns and other members who can provide valuable insights and scheduling ≈ 1.5 hour appointments with each of them; conducting ethical interviews; keeping detailed records (logbooks & notes) of the discussions to ensure transparency & reproducibility • Gathering and analysing geospatial data (QGIS) from the provincial government database, open data portals from the country & the province to provide a spatial context for the research 3. Toolkit & the Innovation Funnel • Accessing a toolkit of the innovation Funnel (canvases provided by the office) to organize and document project insights efficiently

Start Ideation

- Summarizing of insights into the Problem Statement - Planning brainstorming sessions with experts & target group - Idea generation based on collected insights and problem statement - Workshops and Ideation Sessions to establish the project’s vision

start of placement

MID TERM PITCH

- Literature Review - Desk Research - database research - Inventory of the Innovation Toolkit - Field Research - interviews & talks with stakeholders - Initial Observations

Stop Insights & FIELDTRIP 2

- All insights gained are collected and concluded - Informing the direction of the research - Fieldtrip at the Province stand at Dutch Design Week to gather inspiration and additional perspectives into prototyping and exhibiting

-16-

Stop Ideation

- Ideas are evaluated and refined - Conclusions of converging phase 23 Oct. 2023

Sep. 18th 2023

Start Insights - Initiating Data Collection Process

Nov. 22nd 2023

Nov. 9th

FIELDTRIP 1

- Site visit to the Green Volunteering FIeld, to gain experience into the nature for voluntary work, and the target group currently engaged in voluntary work

4 Oct. 2023

RESEARCH PLANNING

Jan. 8th 2024

- Deepening ideas chosen - Intensive period of prototype creation for the concept

Start Project Finalization

- Preparing the urban innovation for implementation - Addressing risks and providing recommendations to the client

END PITCH

End Project Finalization Stop Concepting

- Refining & finalization of concept - Creating visuals and small prototypes - Creating final prototype

-17-

Jan. 25th 2024

end of placement

Dec. 18th 2023

Nov. 27th & 28th 2023

Start Concepting

INSIGHTS 02

FINDINGS

BACKGROUND The worldwide median temperature for 2023 is the highest on record for the first eleven months of a calendar year, 0.13°C higher than the average for 2016, which was until now considered the warmest calendar year recorded.10

potential loss of ecological diversity in the country.

By lowering the surrounding temperature, urban greening aids in improving the quality of Climate vulnerability can life, by lowering noise levels, be reduced and resilience and creating aesthetically boosted by protecting the pleasing areas where people environment and re-establishing can live or spend time. Forests ecosystems. absorb water, hold it, and then release it gradually—like One important and costsponges—preventing floods efficient ally in battling during rainy seasons and against climate change is the preserving water for dry conservation and restoration of periods. Saving watersheds nature. near urban areas makes sense from an ecological, social, The array of ecological services and economic standpoint. The supplied by Natura 2000 provision of potable water and other relevant national to inhabitants of major cities and regional protected areas across the globe, such as Rio de and networks is sometimes Janeiro, Johannesburg, Tokyo, overlooked, despite the fact that Melbourne, New York, and they meet a wide range of human Jakarta, is reliant on protected needs. areas.

It is important to note that nature degradation is one of the risks of climate change, and voluntary work is an essential mitigation measure, to prevent further environmental consequences: The ongoing climate crisis is set to have larger effects on the Dutch nature than those visible in present. The rate of temperature change might be excessive for many plants and animals to adapt or relocate. Plant and animal species with numerous types are more likely to migrate, while more sensitive species Apart from offering homes are likely to become extinct in the to various animal and plant Netherlands.11 species, trees also clean the air we breathe by eliminating This is a threat to the Netherlands ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen nature, as it might lead to a dioxide, and carbon monoxide.

One way to adapt to and lessen the effects of climate change is with the support of ecosystems.

There are several advantages to working with nature rather than against it, including climate -20-

preservation.12

NATIONAL NATURE NETWORK IN THE NETHERLANDS Nature Habitats Directive Birds Directive Protected Nature Areas, Natura 2000

Figure 4: Netherlands Nature Network, based on data from Natura 2000, Author, 2024

The creation of a nationwide ecological network of nature areas across the entirety of the Netherlands (Figure 4) is one main goal of the country’s nature policy.

In alignment with the core of the Natura 2000 program set by the European Union, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality takes action when it sees threats to the diversity of plants and animals. They are in favour of the creation of new nature as well. The Ministry looks for innovative approaches to enhance people’s interactions with nature in collaboration with conservation organisations. As stated in the Natura 2000 document summary, nature is there to be cherished and preserved.

Basing its actions on the basis of Natura 2000, the province of North Brabant is dedicated to an integrated strategy that improves recreational opportunities, environmental quality, and climate change resilience in greenery, water and overall nature systems.

The strategy emphasizes biodi-21-

versity preservation and climate resilience.

One of the points of the provincial strategy involves creating a greenblue mantle that links rural areas to the Brabant Nature Network.

The emphasis of this programme is on the preservation and enhancement of natural, landscape, and water values, like distinctive flora and fauna.

The Green-Blue Mantle’s policy is to maintain and improve a water system that is resistant to climate change, while promoting biodiversity and strengthening the habitats of numerous plant and animal species.

NATURE RELEVANCE IN NORTH BRABANT IN PRESENT The Nature Network Brabant (Figure 5) is the system of partially existing and partially new nature reserves linked by ecological connection zones. This allows animals to move easier between different nature reserves, which increases biodiversity.

Nature Network Brabant (regional) is a branch of Nature Network Netherlands (national).13 The national ecological network in Brabant consists of a variety of nature reserves, natural corridors or routes, and green spaces which support the conservation and sustainable management of the country’s natural resources.

It is important to discern how these natural systems can be maintained and where they are most vulnerable.

environmental, or recreational significance (one of the most well known one is the Van Gogh Route - Figure 5). Some examples of such natural locations are the Biesbosch, the Groote Peel and the Loon and Drunen Dunes the largest sand dune area in Western Europe. But also the Kampina, the Oisterwijk Vennen and Plassen, the Bakelse Bos, the Mastbos and the Bossche Broek in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. All of these are connected, through an integrated network. 14

The green spaces within this network is where most of the volunteering activities take place. These sites most of the time are relevant from a cultural, -22-

Figure 5: Visualisation of Van Gogh Route, Van Gogh National Park, 2023

VOLUNTEER-PROTECTED NATURE

Utrecht

Gelderland

South-Holland

Zeeland

Limburg

municipalities in North Brabant Nature Network in North Brabant (NNB) neighboring Provincies

Figure 6: Protected Natural Areas in North Brabant, based on data from Province North Brabant, Author, 2023 -23-

The Regional Hiking Junctions extracted from the National Cycling Platform Foundation’s Route Database are significant in this study. Green volunteers are primarily involved in the upkeep of these junctions. These links are significant because they relate with the core duties of green volunteers. A significant percentage of their efforts is directed towards the care and maintenance of the system of hiking trails, which are organised in a structured way for easy navigation

Utrecht

Gelderland

South-Holland

Zeeland

Limburg

hiking trails in North Brabant neighboring Provincies

Figure 7: Protected Natural Areas in North Brabant, based on data from Province North Brabant, Author, 2023 -24-

The significance of these nature corridors comes from their role as major nodes within the wider trail system. The proper maintenance of these intersections improves the overall functionality and accessibility of the regional hiking network. The persistent efforts of green volunteers in protecting these nature areas of interest demonstrate a dedication of the residents to preserve and improve local natural and recreational assets, promoting a shared sense of responsibility.

GREEN AND CONVENTIONAL VOLUNTEERING Different types of volunteers can be distinguished. Regular volunteers are interested in creating an impact through any kind of volunteering job.

Their desire is to take impactful action on a broader perspective, without necessarily focusing on environmental issues only. This behaviour is driven by specific motivations the possessed by the volunteers.

social connections and interact with a group of people (new people and/or old friends & family).

•Reflection: This factor involves using the volunteer experience as a personal opportunity for introspection and self-reflection.

•Project organisation: This is related to being attracted to volunteer for a well-organized program that uses volunteers’ time efficiently.15

There are many similarities between the eco-volunteers and green volunteers. An ecovolunteer is committed to offering their abilities and knowledge to help the local community that manages a particular natural area and to improve the environment. An eco-volunteer is driven by their interest and perseverance and actively seeks to understand the significance of the job they undertake. An ecoOVERALL MOTIVATIONS volunteer can see the results of The five motivational factors Green volunteers are mostly their work and is satisfied both of environmental volunteers interested in volunteering jobs physically and mentally by these encompass: that will have an impact on nature results.16 and the environment. They apply • Learning: This refers for volunteering roles from their A big drive for this group of to individuals using the passion to contribute to healthier, people is the realization that if volunteer opportunity to learn and better nature. they are uncared-for, natural new information about the spaces will deteriorate. A environment.

CURRENT VALUES satisfaction is also brought by • Helping the environment: The current active green learning more about landscape This motivator entails taking volunteering group consists of while volunteering and enhance action to improve the state of the nature lovers, citizens that value the feeling of connectedness with environment. the nature. The green volunteers nature.17 •Social: The driving force share a lot of values of eco behind this motive is using volunteers, this being a term more NATURE-SPECIFIC volunteering as a way to establish often referred to by researchers. MOTIVATIONS -25-

2 main groups of motivations can be distinguished, which are clearly nature-specific: 1. Being & feeling connected to nature 2. Helping hands-on to protect and manage nature Motivations in the Green Volunteer Community were previously identified and graded from most to least present as follows18: 1 = the most important for the users 10 = the least important for the users 1. Contributing to nature protection and management 2. Being connected to nature 3. Spending time outdoors 4. Learning more about the nature in their proximity 5. Collaborating with peers 6. Strengthening other people’s connection with nature 7. Being connected to an area 8. Contributing to a sustainable world

9. Enjoying doing something I am good at 10. For future generations 11. Gives meaning to my life 12. Doing hands-on work 13. Contributing to science 14. Do something for the neighbourhood & the society 15. Determines who I am as a person

data from the National Health Survey proves a significant decline in the mental health of the youth in The Netherlands in recent years.19 Existing research proves that spending time in nature promotes well-being for humans.

the same theory on this situation.

Based on the Stress Restoration Theory20, being in natural People with strong motivations environments such as forests, that match with the first categories bodies of water, and other (1 to 8) are the easiest to natural settings has a positive persuade when recruiting new impact on mental health and volunteers early on. can help alleviate the stress of urban life. Therefore, the green In regard to the motivations of volunteering activities and natural the green volunteers, certain environment match the needs demographic differences are of the target group in terms observed: The youth has a strong of health, which can serve as drive to learn and be outdoors, a crucial motivating factor for while the elderly bond with peers engaging in volunteering. and empathize with certain locations. This conclusion will POTENTIAL NEW WAYS OF serve as a basis for all decisions VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT made from this point of the Firstly, it is quite difficult to project onwards. grasp what drives eco-conscious volunteers to stay within a IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH TO voluntary organisation. Therefore, BE IN NATURE in order to enable the possibility It should be emphasized that the to obtain a clear resolution out youth can majorly benefit from of the issue, a closer look will exposure to nature, through be taken at what encourages active participation in green volunteers to remain within an volunteering activities. Recent organisation in general and apply

EDUCATING YOUTH TO BE AUTONOMOUS One way to engage young people is through education and raising awareness about environmental issues. The youth should be educated on topics like climate change, biodiversity, and the significance and benefits of environmental care.

Additionally, allowing young individuals to take on leadership roles in environmental organisations is crucial.

Giving them a say in decisions and permitting them to lead projects encourages a sense of responsibility. Young leaders can inspire their peers and shape the future of environmental protection21. When the younger age groups possess knowledge, they can make better choices and become interested in helping the environment. Creating a program for green projects connected with the interests of young people is effective. According to interviewed eco-conscious youth, they prefer to participate in activities like planting urban gardens, community clean-ups, or wildlife habitat restoration. When

-26-

young volunteers witness the tangible outcomes of their work, it can motivate them to engage more.22

STAKEHOLDERS CONTRIBUTORS In order to understand the dynamics of the Green Volunteering Program Initiatives, this section highlights the roles and contributions of each member involved in the action plan. The primary source of data for this investigation is represented by a series of interviews and discussions with key representatives associated with the provincial program.

1. INSTITUTE FOR NATURE EDUCATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

Figure 8: Logos of the 5 provincial partner environmental NGOs

STRATEGY Being situated at the forefront of the environmental volunteering action plan, IVN is dedicated to connecting people and nature.

An examination of IVN’s Youth Advisory Bureau reveals that the organisation lays a major emphasis on involving the younger demographic (especially individuals aged 12 to 25) in social concerns relating to nature

and sustainability in the province, as well as on a national level.

NETWORK The organisation has built a strong network of contributors to nature, with in-depth expertise in themes of nature and sustainability. Their roles are to enhance nature awareness through nature education.

This takes place through field excursions or company visits to provide first-hand experiences.

At the province level, there are about 27,500 members, 160 volunteer departments, and 173 who that participate in organizing projects, campaigns, courses and setting up activities in nature. Selflearning and practical experience remain central.

2. BRABANT LANDSCAPE This non-governmental organisation functions at a local level, ensuring nature protection ‘close to home’. They use a small organisational structure -27-

for working, but an extensive collaboration strategy. The organisational structure consists of two branches: • Site Management - acquisition, management and development of natural areas and historical buildings • Landscape Management - enhancing biodiversity and promoting attractiveness towards rural areas. This is primarily achieved through providing advice and offering subsidies to farmers and individuals.

3. ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION STRATEGY The umbrella organisation is dedicated to advocating for causes regarding sustainability, nature, and the environment. By functioning on a national level, the organisation conveys influence and persuasion via campaigns and promotional material regarding environmentally friendly behaviour. The

Environment Federation has created an extensive network of governmental institutions (a lot of contact with IVN), as well as the business sector.

The organisation typically has a board or executive team that determines policies and strategies, while the employees (10 for the N. Brabant) and volunteers engage in education and awareness-raising initiatives, such as campaigns to address environmental issues.

donors, as well as 250 volunteers and partner companies. There is a trial period of 6 weeks for volunteering applicants, during which the volunteer experiences the work and decides if they wish to continue or not. However, the organisation can also decide to not continue with the volunteer, therefore the process can become exclusive. The current volunteers work on making the database for field work more flexible. The average age of this group is 62, with the oldest member being 85. Because of this, the most preferred promotion method is by word of mouth, which seems to be very effective for this age group, as a lot of people retire and take action themselves.

The primary focuses are on managing designated natural areas, recreation, agriculture, and commercial activities such as rental cottages, outdoor centres, and camp grounds. The Ministry of Agriculture holds political responsibility for Staatsbosbeheer (legally affiliated with the ministry as the owner).

NETWORK Forest rangers directly guide and mentor volunteers in specific nature reserve areas within the province, and they are paid The youth is not a target group for their roles. The ranger is in at the moment. All initiatives charge of managing coordination undertaken in this sense have within volunteer groups, taking shown progress for a period care of tasks like scheduling new of time, but have failed due to volunteer participation. lack of resources (such as staff Forest rangers—who are usually shortage, not enough time) and 5. STATE FORESTRY retired or close to retirement— changes of management.

MANAGEMENT play a critical role in recruiting volunteers. Reductions in staff, 4. NATURE MONUMENTS STRATEGY however, have increased their The organisation’s legal task is workload, which has impacted STRATEGY managing and using entrusted their mentoring role. The majority The focus of the organisation is plots of land sustainably, for of volunteers are older men, to protect natural areas, valuable societal benefit. Subsidies for their suggesting a need for a wider landscapes, and cultural heritage activities come from the province and more diverse group of at national level. under the national Nature and volunteers.

Landscape Subsidy System NETWORK (SNL). An annual budget of 60 Reforming the organisation to The base of the organisation to 80 million euros is allocated, attract a range of volunteers consists of 992,000 members and distributed across 12 provinces. is an obstacle for the State -28-

Forestry Management, requiring significant efforts to adapt to the preferences and availability of a more diversified volunteer base.

ZOOM-IN ECOLOGICAL RELEVANCE OF DEN BOSCH Green space is of vital importance in ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

For over a thousand years, the city has been cherishing 287 acres of untouched nature.

One of the largest green field seamlessly blending into the city centre, the Bossche Broek is a cluster of wooded areas and ditches, typical to the characteristic wet grassland. The location of a such widely spread natural area that combines with the alluring skyline of the city centre is what makes the city unique in its closeness to nature.23 IN HISTORY In the dry and hot summer of 1629, Maurice of Orange ordered the construction of fortifications around ‘s-Hertogenbosch. A 45-kilometer circumvallation was built to drain the surrounding swamp.

The marshy area of river clay and bog land was a natural line of defence. With its beautiful

landscape elements, leisure walking and cycling trails in and around ‘s-Hertogenbosch have become a fun area to explore for the citizens.24 The choice of the study area being located within the municipality of ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Figure 9) is due to this area being nature-relevant, as well as that the Provincial Council’s urban planning and environmental supervisors have an extensive amount of knowledge about ‘s-Hertogenbosch’s natural environment, which makes it a valuable area to investigate. In addition, both the placement company and the target group’s familiarity with this location strengthens the project’s viability, since fieldtrips and interactions with users are facilitated, offering the opportunity for meaningful conversations.

Provinces in The Netherlands North Brabant Province Den Bosch Municipality other municipalities in North Brabant

Figure 9: Context of ‘s-Hertogenbosch Municipality within North Brabant, Author, 2023 -29-

PROJECT SITE

District Division within Municipality Den Bosch other municipalities in North Brabant

Following consultations with North Brabant experts in environmental planning, it is advised to focus efforts for small-scale interventions on a smaller scale (district scale) location within the area of Den Bosch (Figure 10). This focused approach makes it possible to investigate the dynamics of the concept in more detail and ensures that the template created can be modified and applied in other parts of the province.

After this initial template is put into practice, the hope is that the knowledge gathered from it will help shape and direct the expansion of similar projects throughout the region’s various natural settings.

would require extra sources, which are currently unavailable by the Provincial Environmental Volunteering NGOs, as already stated in the previous chapters.

The strategy presented in this study places a strong emphasis on utilising the programmes and infrastructure already in place in order to maximise resources and accelerate the implementation process.

Figure 10: District Division of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Author, 2023

study area: Rosmalen & Empel

The fact that a foundational framework for many naturerelated projects already exists in the Rosmalen-Empel (Figure 11) natural areas reduces the requirement to enable spatial interventions from scratch, which would be more difficult as it

Figure 11: Chosen Study area within Den Bosch Municipality, Author, 2023 -30-

YOUTH NETWORK Figure 12: 15-24 year old youth density in Rosmalen & Empel neighbourhoods

The project is intended to establish a framework for future implementation in various natural areas. Through the selection of a small-scale location that crosses the youth and nature network, the goal is to get a grasp of how the suggested concept operates within a particular setting.

The location’s alignment with a significant population of younger demographic groups (Figure 12 and 13) serves as the foundation for the further strategic decisions of spatial intervention. While not precisely aligning with the target group set by the Province (15 to 35), the approximated age groups (15 to 44) still provide valuable input for the localization of the target group.

Percentage of 25-44 year olds per neighbourhood 0 - 13.2 13.2 - 17.2 17.2 - 19 19 - 23 23 - 46 Districts of DenBosch

Percentage of 15-24 year olds per neighbourhood 0 - 6.6 6.6 - 10 10 - 11 11 - 15 15 - 36 Districts of DenBosch

Figure 13: Figure 4: 25-44 year old youth density in Rosmalen & Empel -31-

NATURE NETWORK

Districts of DenBosch Nature Network Brabant overlap Rosmalen & Empel

OVERLAPPING GREEN & YOUTH NETWORK At the same time, the chosen area has a significant connectivity to green areas (Figure 14) within the protected nature network of Natura 2000. This connects the area to a broad framework of regional and national nature conservation initiatives.

It should be noted that the placement of the green space throughout the project site corresponds with the network of youth analysed in the previous section. Given that the youth are upcoming nature caretakers, the alignment between the network of green and the network of youth is an important insight, relevant for further exploration in the ‘concepting’ phase of this document.

Green Network in Rosmalen & Empel neighbourhoods Rosmalen & Empel borders Neighbourhoods in Rosmalen & Empel

Figure 14: Provincial Nature Network within the study area, Author, 2023 -32-

LIVEABILITY SCORES

Figure 15: Liveability Scoring per neighbourhood within the study area (based on data from Leefbarometer Netherlands, 2020), Author, 2023

6 out of 9

7 out of 9

8 out of 9

9 out of 9

Further on the analysis it is revealed that the project site neighbourhoods fall under the higher -6 to 9- as a liveability score, where neighbourhoods that score 1 have the lowest liveability, and neighbourhoods scoring 9 the highest.

The key indicators for this data are based on: - Housing Stock - Physical Environment - Facilities - Social Cohesion - Nuisance & Insecurity This data emphasizes that the chosen location serves a good basis for an intervention, and the project has potential to enhance the area’s liveability even more.

This model should be replicated for similar locations, which will follow the same vision across the province.

-33-

ACCESSIBILITY The current nature areas for voluntary work are part of the Nature Network Netherlands, and are located in proximity to the Province’s municipalities, but mostly outside the city rings.

This means that the volunteers have to commute to the work field, and currently most of them do so by private modes of transport. This is due to the fact that the natural areas are not very accessible without a private vehicle. The new target group, however, most of the time does not have the possibility of private transportation.

The newly proposed locations only take into account the possibility to transit by public modes of transport, therefore improving the current accessibility for reaching the voluntary work field, which increases the attractiveness of youth to participate. In order to allow for an increased accessibility, the focus needs to shift towards public modes of transport, as

Figure 16: Public transport network crossing the study area (based on data from Open Street Map), Author, 2023

these are easier to access for the youth, since most of them do not possess private vehicles.

The type of mobility analysed was mostly pedestrian, as the volunteers are primarily walking when on the job. It is important to make sure that the walking options are safe and convenient within and to the project site, as a lot of the volunteers are accountable for maintaining routes forming hiking trails (figure 17).

Rosmalen & Empel Den Bosch municipal boundary public transport network Den Bosch

Rosmalen & Empel Regional Walking/hiking route (gray line) Den Bosch municipal boundary overlapping Nature Network Brabant (NNB)

The walking options overlap with the Nature Network Brabant, which shows that the nature in the project site will be accessible to the volunteers walking in Rosmalen and Empel.

The area is also well-connected by public transport, which makes it inclusive in the sense that it is accessible to all.

-34-

Figure 17: Walking Route and Nature Network crossing the study area (based on data from Province North Brabant), Author, 2023

IDEATION & CONCEPTING 03

GREEN HIVES

A nature vision of nature spaces, which serve as symbolic and physical hubs that bring the community together, through communal nature activities

Figure 18: Conceptual Logo of Volunteer Community Spaces, Author, 2024

THE CONCEPT - GREEN HIVE NETWORK After the research phase, three different volunteer profiles were identified:

Figure 19: Conceptual Diagram of research-to-content process, Author, 2024

sense they appreciate B. Accessible, in close-by areas, with a friendly/welcoming group C. Integrate it with opportunities for recreational activities

1. Volunteers with plenty of free time PROCESS 2. Volunteers who are After carefully choosing the undoubtedly connected first implementation area for a prototype, these preferences to matters of the natural were integrated into a spatial environment vision at the level of Rosmalen3. Volunteers seeking a Empel, an area both naturesense of community. active and highly populated

readjustments were made based on prototyping and testing.

by youth. The network of youth Out of these 3, key preferences was combined with the network were discovered while focusing of nature, and those together on the latter 2 groups, which created the network of ‘Green mostly consisted of youth. This Hives’ (figure 19), a network of 3 group of people doesn’t have template pop-up volunteer hubs much time, yet they are interested designated for upcoming, young in the subject of voluntary work, green volunteers. especially if it involves community building aspects, and it fits with COMMUNITY BUILDING (IN their environmentally-driven NATURE) motivations. For this, they wish for These hubs were conceptualized the green volunteering activities after multiple series of testing with to be: both users (target group) and environmental planning specialists A. Organized in groups, to (stakeholders), followed by an provide them with the community iterative development, where

RESULT The volunteer hub concept combines nature, and community activation as a main interest of the young demographic, which the concept is designed for.

The concept is based on the 3 following social & spatial pillars: A. COMMUNITY Regular events will be organized in the open spaces, and in addition, gatherings will be possible in all the days when voluntary work takes place. All the field days will be open by an introductory workshop at the hub. This will be coordinated by the person already currently coordinating the volunteer groups in their activities.

-37-

B. ACCESSIBILITY The hubs will be located in spaces both close to nature, and accessible to the target group. After a set of tests, it was concluded that the radiuses for these should be: - 20 minutes by bike - 15 minutes walking - 25 minutes by public transport C. ADDED FUNCTION By assigning the pop-up hubs functions based on roles, the volunteer work field becomes lively in various ways. It is suggested that, by promoting green volunteering as a community activity, rather than an immediate way to care for nature, more young volunteers will be attracted.

COMMUNITY BUILDING (IN NATURE) The toolbox of upcoming volunteer pop-ups is based on existing roles, with functions tailored to each role. Based on this classification, every volunteer position now has a designated place that fits with the current voluntary responsibilities. By organizing them within these spaces, the volunteers can be more precisely and efficiently assigned to projects that fit their interests, and that always return to the youth, which will lead to the creation of cooperative hubs for green volunteering. The youth volunteers are responsible for the locations where they work in.

Therefore, they protect the environment while also creating a more pleasant volunteering experience for themselves, which generates a winwin situation in which volunteers experience a sense of ownership, while also benefiting from the locations they preserve.

• Enumeration & Biodiversity Monitoring Spaces - bird watching areas: spaces with hides/observation points indoor and outdoor - Explanatory signage in regard to species of flora and fauna, and the importance to protect them. Extra indicators along the hiking trails to highlight these key biodiversity points - Organisations of the trails based on different types of biodiversity, for volunteers to choose what they would rather explore

Administration Work Spaces Consultation and idea showcase area: separate, open space which can be scheduled for specific time slots - Interactive display of collected data: communal space for showcasing collected data and researched facts - Quiet zone with electronic equipment for volunteers to sort out the data collected during enumeration & monitoring activities - Connection to resources of other citizen projects, beyond environmental volunteering, for those interested

• Education Spaces - Training space for workshops, where volunteers can share experiences, feedback and ideas with the community - Creative zone for discussions featuring experts and guest speakers - Nature education/workshop zone, for students and individuals with a desire to learn more - Tour of native local plant or animal species, as a hands-on learning experience, describing their ecological importance

-38-

Wildlife Conservation Spaces - Indicators of outdated hiking trails and other irregularities in nature which require maintenance - On-land signals of tree planting & reforestation zones - Recycling stations in proximity - Community gardening plots - Work Station: areas for storing tools and equipment that the volunteers use, and where they can return regularly in case of malfunctions

CONCEPT: GREEN HIVE NETWORK Figure 20: Map of Template-Locations for Community Spaces, Author, 2024

1

-39-

2

3

TEMPLATE-LOCATIONS LOCATION 1: Cello De Binkhorst (currently Social Welfare centre) - Waterleidingstraat 2, 5244 PE Rosmalen

LOCATION 2: Natuurspeeltuin (currently Nature Playground) - Empelseweg 15, 5236 PA s’Hertogenbosch

COMMUNITY This welfare centre (figure 21) is currently open for community access. It has been reserved to only the users of the facilities (intellectually disabled people), until it was decided that it should open to the public, in order to let the everyone enjoy the nature close by. Moreover, there is already volunteer work in place, which serves a good basis for integrating the upcoming environmental volunteers in the current group.

COMMUNITY This nature space (figure 22) is located near a youth centre, which is a spot for future recruitment of a completely new generation of young volunteers.

The possibility of combining the activities of youth with the nature space close by can increase the impact even more.

FUNCTION As this location already has an enclosed space, it may be used in the colder periods of the year, and the most suitable roles to participate at this location would be the ones who need an inside space for conducting their job.

FUNCTION As this is an outdoor space, it is more suitable for the physical field work undertaken by volunteers. Constant workshops and activities can be organized at the youth centre conveniently situated in proximity.

-40-

LOCATION 3: Hof Eyghentijds (currently Event venue) Lunerkampweg 5, 5245 NB Rosmalen COMMUNITY The types of activities currently taking place at this location (figure 23) are city farming activities. Given that the participants at these types of activities are already interested in nature, and mostly of young age, the potential for them to start volunteering is very high.

FUNCTION This location has an already built terrace, which can accommodate approximately 22 people. This number of participants is optimal for each volunteer work session.

ACCESSIBILITY by non-private modes

Location 1

Figure 21: Template-Location 1 and accessibility radius by bike, car, and walking for Community Space, Google Earth, 2024

Location 2

Figure 22: Template-Location 2 and accessibility radius by bike, car, and walking for Community Space, Google Earth, 2024

Location 3

Figure 23: Template-Location 3 and accessibility radius by bike, car, and walking for Community Space, Google Earth, 2024 -41-

PROTOTYPE - GREEN HIVE SPACE

Figure 24. Impression of Outdoor Volunteer Community Space, Author, 2023 -42-

REALIZATION 04

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

PROGRAM SUCCESS CRITERIA Specific

Grow the number of young green volunteers, by promoting a phyiscal network of spaces in nature for them to use.

Measurable

Activate at least 25 users to participate per nature space type in a span of 6 months.

Achievable

If there are at least 10 volunteers active per nature space type, then the ‘hubs’ are being used, therefore successful. In order to initiate this process, subsidies from the Province will be used.

Relevant

This project aims to raise awareness in regard to green volunteering, as well as increasing the youth’s accessibility to volunteer, so that more young citizens are motivated to regularly engage in voluntary work in nature.

Time-bound

After delivering the plan to the client, the preparation for enabling the initiative are undertaken. The project then begins its implementation phase. The project can start preparing for use, and then it can be open to the public.

-45-

REGULATION LEVELS

NATIONAL LEGISLATION

PROVINCIAL LEGISLATION

LOCAL LEGISLATION

International nature policy and major water bodies policy continue to be under the authority of the central government.

This area of the national law is concerned when thinking about the implementation of the proposal.

In North Brabant, the provincial authorities establish laws and guidelines for the preservation of nature. Permits and exemptions related to the environment fall under their responsibility. The province authorities should collaborate with hunters, environmental and wildlife protection organisations, and landowners to create plans for the proposal management.

The procedure of getting permissions shouldn’t take too long because the province is responsible for most regulations.

However, as local laws may vary, it is advised that environmental non-governmental organisations validate the implementation of nature-related activities with the small-scale legislation of each municipality in issue.

-46-

BUDGETING & SUBSIDY OPPORTUNITY NATIONAL BUDGET AVAILABILITY Projects that focus on implementing Natura 2000 measures and setting up new nature on the plots necessary for Natura 2000 are eligible for subsidy from the province.

Companies, government agencies, individuals and partnerships of these can receive a subsidy for the implementation of Natura 2000 measures or the establishment of new nature on the plots necessary.

Certain owners which are certified by the provinces can apply for a financial aid within the Nature and Landscape Subsidy System (SNL). According to the terms of the subsidy, the landowner must make the property available for recreation at least 358 days a year. The owner can receive an additional allowance to cover costs associated with opening up (BIJ12, 2018). An annual

budget of 60 to 80 million euros is allocated, distributed across 12 provinces.25 The scheme for the development of this project is based on utilizing available resources, owned by the organisations. A collaborative effort of both the stakeholders and the community is encouraged, where volunteers contribute time, skills and materials to bring the community spaces to life, in the same way that they are motivated to engage in the voluntary work. Subsidies are still useful to explore, to further support specific material needs, such as certain equipment or restoration that might be needed.

SMALL PROJECTS FUND The document for ‘Grants and Funds for green civic initiatives’26 published on December 1st, 2023, clearly states an overview of third-party grants and funds for civil initiatives, with links to relevant sources and information.

It is advised that depending on nature type, nature organisation managing the nature space and volunteering role, to check the sourced document for specific funding opportunities tailored to each initiative. The most suitable type of funding in this case would be the ‘small projects fund’.

GRANT AMOUNT Max. 50% of costs, with a max. of €3,000 APPLICATION PERIOD ongoing, but before the start of the project TARGET GROUP everyone CRITERIA the project must take place within the LandStad De Baronie region; • the project contributes to restoration and improvement of nature, landscape and cultural history; • for the project, permits have been arranged, if necessary;

-47-

• projects must lead to a concrete/physical result within one year of award.

INITIATIVE Purchase of different material such as information boards and flower boxes for nature garden, construction of herb - and fauna -rich fields, realization of bee hotels REQUEST The application form is published on the website (www. landstaddebaronie.nl) The application should be submitted by e-mail to the secretariat of LandStad De Baronie: secretariaat@landstaddebaronie. nl.

NEXT PHASES The pushed method is to make volunteering more joyful and satisfying by incorporating both entertaining and informative features. This update intends to make volunteering activities more sustainable and effective for the youth, as young volunteers gain personal satisfaction from caring for the locations they work in.

story of BrabantNEXT, and the process that the team of interns has worked on this project, and the innovative way of working, etc. this should involve all project stakeholders, the Impulse Group etc.

The representant from the implementation office sees these proposals as input, but suggests imbedding them in traineeships The project will be implemented and ‘Naturebits’ processes in three stages, starting at the (initiative by IVN for youth local level, then expanding to between 18 and 30 that would the municipal level, and finally encompassing the entire province, like to actively commit to a green future, through workshops in guided by the structure given nature with like-minded people; by the natural network. learning sessions about current environmental themes). In this In a final client meeting, an implementation Office already in way, the proposals developed are Collaboration with the Provincial taken further by already-involved youth. non-profit environmental organisations joined.

Their idea to keep the project going after the 5 months have passed includes promoting the plan within nature knowledge sessions, to tell the complete -48-

REFERENCE LIST 1 Ganzevoort, W., & van den Born, R. J. G. (2018). Green volunteers: Who are they, what do they do, and what drives them? Institute for Science in Society, Radboud University.

2 Ganzevoort, W., & van den Born, R. J. G. (2018). Green volunteers: Who are they, what do they do, and what drives them? Institute for Science in Society, Radboud University.

3 Perspectivity. (n.d.). Co-creation of joint action plan for green volunteers. https://perspectivity.org/co-creation-of-joint-action-plan-forgreen-volunteers/ 4 Definition of Youth. United Nations. (2008). https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/youth/fact-sheets/youth-definition.pdf 5 Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Eco-conscious. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eco-conscious 6 Nature. Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/nature 7 Hanes, S. (2012, October 25). Teens and volunteering: Altruism or just peer pressure? The Christian Science Monitor.

8 Amigos de las Americas. (2023, January 9). What is environmental volunteering? https://amigosinternational.org/what-is-environmental-volunteering/#:~:text=Generally%20speaking%2C%20it%20refers%20to,for%20the%20environment%20looks%20like.

9 Ganzevoort, W. (2021). Green volunteers in the spotlight: Understanding action for nature through studying citizen scientists and other nature volunteers. Doctoral dissertation, Radboud University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/2066/230849 10 Lopez, N. (2023, December 6). Copernicus: November 2023 – Remarkable year continues, with warmest boreal autumn. 2023 will be the warmest year on record. Copernicus. https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-november-2023-remarkable-year-continues-warmest-boreal-autumn-2023-will-be-warmest-year#:~:text=For%20the%20calendar%20year%20to,warmest%20calendar%20year%20on%20record.

11 Bresser, A. H., & Natuurplanbureau, N. M. E. (2005). The effects of climate change in the Netherlands.

12 Nature’s role in climate change. (2009). Publications Office of European Comission. https://climate.ec.europa.eu/system/ files/2016-11/nature_and_climate_change_en.pdf 13 Provincie Noord-Brabant. (2023). Natuurnetwerk Brabant (NNB). Brabant. https://www.brabant.nl/onderwerpen/natuur-en-landschap/natuurnetwerk-brabant-(nnb) 14 Brabant nature. VisitBrabant. (n.d.). https://www.visitbrabant.com/en/things-to-do/nature 15 Bruyere, Brett & Rappe, Silas. (2007). Identifying the motivations of environmental volunteers. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 50. 503-516. 10.1080/09640560701402034.

16 Academia Themes. (n.d.-b). What is eco-volunteering?. Panthera Sanctuary. https://panthera-sanctuary.com/what-is-ecovolunteering/ 17 Ganzevoort, W. (2021, October 28). The Green Volunteer in the Spotlights. Centre Connecting Humans and Nature, Institute for Science in Society, Radboud University.

18 Ganzevoort, W. (2021, October 28). The Green Volunteer in the Spotlights. Centre Connecting Humans and Nature. Institute for Sci-49-

ence in Society, Radboud University.

19 Statistics Netherlands - (2022, June 1). National Health Survey. https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2022/22/mental-health-has-worsened-among-young-people 20 Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201-230.

21 Smith, J. (2020). Environmental Education and Youth: Nurturing a Generation of Environmental Protectors. Environmental Science & Technology, 53(10), 5891-5901.

22 Creating green projects connected with the interests and skills of young people is effective. This could involve activities such as planting urban gardens, community clean-ups, or wildlife habitat restoration. When young volunteers witness the tangible outcomes of their work, it can motivate them to do more (Green & Brown, 2021).

23 Bossche Broek: Sightseeing: S-hertogenbosch. Bossche Broek | Sightseeing | s-Hertogenbosch. (n.d.). https://www.inyourpocket. com/s-hertogenbosch/Bossche-Broek_71424v 24 The city of many faces: Swamp dragon. ‘s-Hertogenbosch Free Tours. (2018, April 18). https://denboschfreetours.wordpress. com/2018/04/18/the-city-of-many-faces-swamp-dragon/ 25 Verhave, H. (2021). Evaluating the effectiveness of the ‘subsidy for nature and landscape’ (SVNL) among different private forest owner types in the Netherlands. M.Sc. Forest and Nature Conservation, Policy and Society, Wageningen University and Research. Retrieved from https://edepot.wur.nl/561132 26 Province of North Brabant. (2023, December 1). Subsidies and Funds for Green Citizen Initiatives. Retrieved from https://www.brabant.nl/-/media/0d53cb60338546efbc82301bc8ab41d8.pdf Stakeholder/client/user sources: • Biweekly Meetings with Project Leader and Consultant of Nature Management, Landscape and Society Department, Province of North Brabant, 2023 • Interviews with: - Strategy and communications officer at State Forestry Management Organisation - Environmental Organizations in collaboration with the Province of North Brabant: Nature for Brabanders, Province of North Brabant, - Other key representants of environmental organisations associated with the provincial volunteering program: Nature Monuments, Environment Federation, - Current Green Volunteers - Eco-conscious, Young Individuals

-50-