2. Green-blue living environment

Our villages are quite concrete-covered. This has several disadvantages. It is therefore important to green them up. More greenery helps to:

• Better collection of rainwater, so that there is less disruption during heavy downpours.
• Allowing water to soak into the ground, creating a reserve for dry periods.
• Retains less heat, so it cools down faster in the evening.

Greenery, especially shaded greenery, creates a cooler and more pleasant living environment. That is why we are removing unnecessary stones and bringing back greenery. We want to beautify the space with it.

Consider, for example, the park on Kasteelstraat in Wamel. Or Florastraat in Boven-Leeuwen. We want to make the living environment in the
region not only climate-proof, but also beautiful!

In the coming years, we will be greening even more streets. This will help us prevent flooding and keep our villages cooler.

Climate-proof

We must be climate-proof by 2050. West Maas en Waal aims to be climate-proof by 2035.
To this end, we have already taken 70 measures for 2024. We still have 135 measures to go until 2035. So we are well on our way!

A good example of climate adaptation is the exercise garden in Alphen. At Ons Tuin in Alphen, we have transformed a grassy area into a green space where people can also play sports and exercise outdoors. The location is next to a primary school, so the school can also make use of this space, for example as a green playground and for educational purposes (outdoor lessons/classroom)..

We have planted biodiverse plants in various locations. The school has built its own insect hotel. We have also disconnected the school's rain gutter. Rainwater is collected in a water storage tank where various herb mixtures grow.

The plan is a wonderful collaboration between the SLAG village platform, De Kernen housing association, Sociom (care institution), and the municipality. The municipality received a subsidy from the Province of Gelderland for this project.

In 2017, it was agreed to make Alphen rainwaterproof. Residents had suffered a great deal of nuisance and damage due to heavy rainfall in August 2015. In 2018, the municipality and water board started the work. Now, seven years later, all measures have been implemented. With the redevelopment of Greffelingsestraat and Filipstraat, the necessary measures are complete.

In these two streets, the black asphalt, which heats up quickly in hot summers, has been replaced by more sustainable paving stones that are lighter in color. Both streets have been disconnected and now have plant and tree boxes along their entire length. All parking spaces are green parking spaces. This means that they allow water to pass through and better absorb into the ground. This reduces the heat.

In recent years, we have tackled various streets. Middendam, Valksestraat, and Heuvelstraat have been redesigned. Existing ponds have been renovated and enlarged. Many stones have been removed and replaced with greenery. And several streets have been disconnected.

We are very grateful for all the positive support and cooperation we have received from the residents.

Since this year, we have a website for green-blue tips and examples: www.veranderjijmee.nl
Here you will find useful tips from our residents and practical examples of green-blue ideas in and around the home.

During the Gelderland River Region Climate Summit on December 13, 2024, in Bemmel, 21 parties from the region signed a letter of intent for the Green-Blue Framework for the River Region. Alderman Evert Jan Slootweg signed on behalf of the municipality of West Maas en Waal.

With this signing, the regional municipalities, Rivierenland Water Authority, Gelderland Province, and various social organizations express a shared ambition for a climate-proof and livable region.

The Rivierenland Green-Blue Framework is a joint plan to make the region climate-proof by strengthening biodiversity and the landscape. It involves strategically connecting green (vegetation, nature reserves, parks) and blue (rivers, climate barriers, banks) elements. A network of 'green and blue' elements is not only beneficial for plants and animals, and therefore biodiversity, it also contributes to the perceived value of the landscape.

The Green-Blue Framework is a follow-up to and elaboration of the 'Gonzend Rivierenland' project, from the 'Strengthening Landscape and Biodiversity' Regional Deal.

Together with the Rivierenland Water Authority, we have started constructing climate buffers. Five in total. We store rainwater here and use it during periods of drought. You can compare it to five very large rain barrels.

The water is intended for the rural area around Dreumel, Beneden-Leeuwen, and Wamel. During dry periods, it is difficult to supply sufficient water to the western part of the municipality of West Maas en Waal. The buffers allow us to add extra water to the water system in this area at critical moments, thereby maintaining water availability. This is also important for farmers.

A number of additional buffers will be added in the coming years. We have received a subsidy from the federal government for these climate buffers.