Bridging Minds for Co-creating Nature-Based Solutions for Water Security Management - AQUAMIND – CIVIS

AquaMind is a transnational project led by the University of Bucharest in collaboration with Aix-Marseille Université, Université libre de Bruxelles and the University of Salzburg. It addresses water security challenges in two Romanian pilot areas: the Danube floodplain (Balta Mică a Brăilei Natural Park) and the Brașov Metropolitan Area.

The project integrates citizen science, geospatial analysis, and participatory co-creation of nature-based solutions (NbS) to improve environmental monitoring and water management. Activities include citizen-led data collection, workshops for NbS design, and educational integration with CIVIS BIPs. AquaMind builds on existing initiatives such as the CARMINE Living Lab and aims to strengthen the science-society-policy interface, engage vulnerable groups, and produce transferable models for other regions. The project is part of the CIVIS Open Lab initiative , contributing to climate resilience, community engagement, and innovation in urban and natural water systems.

Main Beneficiaries & Social Impact

Main Beneficiaries

Citizens & Local Communities: Residents of the Brașov Metropolitan Area and the Danube floodplain (Balta Mică a Brăilei), includingvulnerable groups (youth, elderly, low income residents). Participatory nature-based solution mapping, NbS and equity focused co creation workshops. ~150 participants.
Public Authorities & Policymakers. Local and regional authorities, water management institutions, protected areas and natural resources administrations, urban planning bodies, environmental institutions. Technical and analytical workshops, co creation sessions for NbS design, validation of results, uptake through policy briefs and stakeholder reports. 30–40 participants.
NGOs & Environmental Practitioners. Environmental NGOs, conservation practitioners, land use and NbS professionals. Workshops for co design of NbS, comparative cross regional sessions (Brașov–Brăila), dissemination and replication activities. 10 participants.
Students, Educators & Researchers (CIVIS Alliance). BA/MA/PhD students, academic staff, trainers and invited experts from Bucharest, Aix Marseille, ULB, Salzburg. Fieldwork teaching modules, BIPs support, applied student projects, transnational workshops and mobility. ~30–40 people (students and staff).

Total Estimated Direct Beneficiaries: ~200 direct participants, with wider indirect impact through policy uptake, education, and replication.

Social Impact

The project delivers social impact by providing beneficiaries with hands on learning and capacity building opportunities in citizen science, water and soil monitoring, GIS analysis and the co creation of nature based solutions, directly connecting scientific knowledge with real world challenges. Citizens, NGOs and local authorities benefit from strengthened skills, practical experience and new cross sector networks linking communities, researchers and policymakers within the CIVIS alliance. The expected social impact includes increased public awareness of water security and ecosystem services, greater citizen empowerment and stewardship, improved collaboration between science, society and public institutions, and tangible policy influence through co created solutions, geospatial outputs and policy briefs that can be integrated into local planning and replicated in other regions.

Core Methodology

The project applies a participatory, co creation–based methodology, combining citizen science, community engagement and workshops with geospatial analysis, to jointly produce knowledge and design nature based solutions together with citizens, NGOs, researchers and policymakers for real world application.

Events in the Project

Event Name	Date(s)	Location	Description (purpose, audience)
Designing and Selecting Effective Nature-Based Solutions for Improved Water Management in the Brașov Metropolitan Area	18 May 2026	Brasov	Identify and prioritize feasible nature-based solutions to improve urban water management in Brașov Metropolitan Area.
Awareness activities about Nature-based Solutions with the youth in Brasov Metropolitan Area	21-22 May 2026	Brasov	Preparing the vulnerable groups for the workshop.
Integrating Vulnerable Groups’ Perspectives to Strengthen Social Equity in Nature-based Solutions inthe Brașov Metropolitan Area	23 June 2026	Brasov	Integrate vulnerable groups’ perspectives to ensure socially inclusive, equitable nature‑based solutions for urban water management.
Translating Brașov Stakeholder Insights to Other Regions: Validating NbS Perspectives through a ComparativeCase Study in the Brăila Area	30 June 2026	Braila	Validate and transfer nature‑based solution priorities through comparative analysis between Brașov and Brăila regions.

Partners

Partner Name	Type (academic, non-academic stakeholders, students, …)	Bio (2–3 lines)
University of Bucharest	academic	The UB leads citizen science and environmental governance projects integrating stakeholder co-creation, geospatial tools, and public participation in water and urban ecosystem services.
University of Salzburg	Academic	PLUS offers guest lectures and academic modules on participatory design in teaching and research, integrating stakeholder‑centered methods into its AI and design curricula.
Aix-Marseille Université	Academic	As a core ScienceUs partner, AMU hosted the “Flourish” phase kickoff in June 2025, coordinating training and scaling participatory climate‑science initiatives with citizen‑led data and local stakeholders.
Université libre de Bruxelles	Academic	ULB hosts OpenLab.brussels, a cross‑campus participatory research accelerator (with VUB), supporting stakeholder engagement as co‑researchers and offering toolkits, events, and infrastructure for inclusive, society‑relevant research.

Leader

Cazacu Constantin
Email

Co-leader

Ioja Ioan Cristian
Email