Stakeholder Mapping for a Nature-Based Solutions Project: A Comprehensive Approach for Enhanced Participation and Co-Creation

Cláudia Pereira, Amirmahdi Zarghami, Elisabete Teixeira () and Emília Araújo
Additional contact information
Cláudia Pereira: University of Minho, Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems (ARISE), Department of Civil Engineering, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Amirmahdi Zarghami: University of Minho, Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems (ARISE), Department of Civil Engineering, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Elisabete Teixeira: University of Minho, Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering (ISISE), Advanced Production and Intelligent Systems (ARISE), Department of Civil Engineering, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Emília Araújo: Communication and Society Research Centre (CECS), Institute of Social Sciences (ICS), Department of Sociology, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: In Nature-Based Solution (NBS) projects, stakeholder mapping is not merely a methodological step but a strategic process that enables meaningful engagement, co-creation, and the building of trust among diverse actors. This study describes the stakeholder mapping approach adopted in the NBSINFRA project, paying particular attention to methods designed to strengthen participation and co-creation. The process followed three inter-related steps: (1) stakeholder identification; (2) stakeholder analysis, filtering, and prioritization; and (3) stakeholder understanding. Drawing on a cross-methodological approach, including interviews, focus groups, direct observation, and on-site observations, the project engaged a wide spectrum of stakeholders, involving representatives of the local community. The findings point out that stakeholder mapping functioned as a catalyst for social engagement, co-design, informal collaborations, and the development of trustful and transparent relationships between team members and the community. The process made it possible to identify regional and national stakeholders, thereby opening avenues for international collaboration in later stages of the project. Finally, this study highlights persistent challenges that require attention, including information gaps, limited opportunities for participation due to time constraints, and the enduring prevalence of top-down decision-making.

Keywords: nature-based solutions; stakeholder mapping; social engagement; participation; co-creation; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8416/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8416/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8416-:d:1753796

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().