RiVIVE

River restoration has received increased attention in policy and practice around the world. However, its implementation is often challenged by social contestations, which often relate to top-down visions that fail to recognize rivers as complex multidimensional socio-ecological systems. This project proposes a different and inclusive intervention approach for river restoration, departing from the recognition and integration of the multiple social and ecological values, knowledge and uses of rivers. This project aims to: i) elaborate an innovative research and action framework as a basis for more inclusive and socio_x0002_environmentally just river restoration; ii) develop, test, and validate this framework through the integration of methodologies for stakeholder engagement, multifunctionality assessments, citizen science, conflict resolution and the co-design of socio_x0002_environmentally fair and robust river futures; iii) Generate experiences and tools that inspire and support academics, grassroots initiatives, policy makers and practitioners engaged in river restoration in Europe and beyond. It will do so by bringing together a consortium of 7 research groups that have been working on rivers from different perspectives, to integrate interdisciplinary approaches. The project is innovative in terms of recognizing the contested nature of river restoration and developing on-the-ground engaged action research, based on the elaborated notion of riverscape conviviality. This notion recognizes that rivers are part of dynamic socio-natural landscapes (riverscapes); is formulated as a framework for understanding the richness of interaction of all the human and more-than-human actors (conviviality); and develops the concept of multispecies justice. The project will make use of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methods (involving academics and stakeholders) to grasp the complexities of river restoration. These methods will be transversally applied to 6 riverscapes with different configurations and socio-cultural contexts: Aurino (Italy); Auzon and Rize (France); Serpis and Ter (Spain); and Regge (The Netherlands). The project will engage riverine stakeholders in the creation of Riparian Assemblies, communities of practice whose final goal will be the co-design of restoration strategies and guidelines. They will mobilize citizen science tools and academic research, and will map the multifunctional nature of each study case, analysing how different human and non-humans relate to, use and understand the riverscape. These tasks will be the basis for developing conflict management and consensus building strategies. The Riparian Assemblies will share the outcomes and methodology of the project to be replicated in other areas. Their final goal is to ensure the uptake of riverscape conviviality as an essential element for restoration actions, biodiversity conservation, and just transformative change.