Connecting the dots: Demonstrator Sites workshop in Aveiro, Portugal
As part of the 3rd REWRITE Annual Meeting in Aveiro, Portugal, project partners came together for a hands-on workshop with Demonstrator Module (DM) leaders and representatives. The session marked an important step toward the coordinated phase of DM activities, aiming to move from isolated case studies to a connected European network of coastal rewilding sites.
The workshop aimed to align objectives, needs and impacts across sites, while recognising communication as a key driver of collaboration and visibility. Through a mix of individual and collective exercises, participants mapped out how each Demonstrator operates and how they can strengthen their shared impact.
From local strengths to collective strategy
The session opened with a mini-SWOT exercise for each Demonstrator Site, helping participants map their site’s strengths, challenges and opportunities. Cards filled the room with local insights, each reflecting a unique landscape, community, and focus. Through a gallery walk, DM representatives visited one another’s stations, finding overlapping challenges and fresh opportunities for collaboration.
These inputs came together in a Network SWOT, a collective diagnosis that revealed patterns, connections and shared ambitions across sites. The group then began sketching an Inter-DM Action Plan for 2025–2026, turning insights into a practical roadmap for joint activities in science, community engagement and communication. This shared plan will guide the network’s next steps, helping Demonstrator activities grow in sync while remaining rooted in local realities.
Communication and stakeholder engagement
Strong communication is what will turn this network into a living practice, one that reconnects ecological, social and economic systems across Europe.
Every site engages with stakeholders, though the depth and reach differ. Most collaborate closely with local agencies, researchers and restoration networks, and many run participatory spaces such as Living Labs or advisory groups. These connections help bridge science, policy and management, yet engagement with broader publics remains an area for growth.
Some sites already offer solid examples to learn from, while others are still building momentum. Common challenges include limited time and resources, administrative hurdles and stakeholder fatigue. At the same time, there’s clear potential to scale up: linking local stories to EU policy debates, using visual and media storytelling to reach new audiences, and strengthening the science–policy interface through shared platforms like Living Labs.
