Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies

Deliverable D1.4 Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies www.project-merlin.eu MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 2 Imprint The MERLIN project (https://project-merlin.eu) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101036337. Lead contractor: UKCEH To be cited as: Spears, B.M., Nash, G., Birk, S., Carvalho L., Okruszko T., Schwerk A., Williamson J. 2025. Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies. EU H2020 research and innovation project MERLIN deliverable 1.4. 10 pp. https://project-merlin.eu/outcomes/deliverables.html Due date of deliverable: 30.09.2025 Actual submission date: 26.09.2025 MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 3 MERLIN Key messages 1. Digital reports are published recording the key results of the MERILN Systemic analysis of restoration impacts across the 13 European Green Deal Policy areas for 18 MERLIN Restoration Case Studies. 2. Reports are published on the MERLIN Knowledge Hub allowing users to navigate through each criteria following a progressive disclosure approach which directs towards more detailed evidence in respective deliverables. 3. A description of the systemic and integrated analysis approach developed through the MERLIN Monitoring and Assessment Framework including estimates of confidence and direction of impact for each of the EGD assessment indicators. 4. The digital reports are designed to provide real-life examples from the MERLIN community, to inspire the wider restoration community and to demonstrate the potential to recognise multiple benefits of restoration as well as positive and negative trade-offs. MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 4 MERLIN Executive Summary This deliverable summarises the development and publication of the MERLIN Digital Reports on Restoration Impact Monitoring across 18 MERLIN Restoration Case Studies. It marks the publication of these reports on the MERLIN Knowledge Hub following a progressive disclosure scientific communication approach. This web-based resource presents a synthesis and summary of the systemic assessment approach developed through the MERILN Monitoring and Assessment Framework which allows an integrated assessment across 13 European Green Deal Policy Area Indicators. This resource represents one of the most comprehensive collation and synthesis of data on freshwater restoration projects available. It marks a major milestone in the MERLIN Systemic Assessment of Restoration Impact process and presents key highlights to the wider restoration community. It is our hope that this resource will inspire the wider community providing real-life evidence on realising multiple benefits of restoration programmes as well as recognising the potential for positive and negative trade-offs. MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 5 Content The MERLIN project (https://project-merlin.eu) has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No 101036337. 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 6 2 Creation of Digital Reports ............................................................................. 7 2.1 Collation and Selection of Evidence .......................................................... 7 2.2 Web Design and Structure ........................................................................... 7 2.3 Examples of Digital Report contents ......................................................... 7 3 Outlook ............................................................................................................ 10 Introduction MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 6 1 Introduction The MERLIN Digital Reports on Restoration Impact Assessments bring together information on 18 best-practice case-studies on freshwater restoration. They provide evidence of restoration impacts across scales across the 13 European Green Deal Criteria and span a range of ecosystem types, innovative restoration measures, governance structures and financing frameworks. The MERLIN Digital Reports on Restoration Impact Assessments are available through the project website here: https://project-merlin.eu/ This report documents the layout, content, and future use of the MERLIN Digital Reports on Restoration Impact Assessments as a resource with which the scientific community, stakeholder groups, and the public can view lessons learned and progress across the 18 MERLIN Case Studies during the lifetime of the project. We outline the process through which content was selected, the development of a dedicated web-based platform underpinned by the systemic MERLIN Monitoring and Assessment Framework, provide examples of European Green Deal Indicator ‘Focus Pages’, and offer an outlook with respect to the impact of this resource on MERLIN Case Study Teams and the wider restoration community. Creation of Digital Reports MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 7 2 Creation of Digital Reports 2.1 Collation and Selection of Evidence The digital reports draw on evidence gathered across a number of MERILN Project deliverables and provide an accessible platform through which the global restoration community can view progress on some of Europe’s most ambitious restoration programmes. The content of the digital reports was selected by experts form the MERLIN Project who were responsible for developing the MERLIN Monitoring and Assessment Framework, for collating and quality checking raw data submitted by the Case Study Leads over the duration of the project, and for designing and implementing the synthetic analysis of these impact assessments across all case studies and EGD Indicators. A series of on-line meetings were held to discuss the highlight results and lessons learned from each EGD Criteria Expert. These meetings were led by a dedicated Web Designer. Content proposals were submitted by the Indicator Leads to the Web Designer in turn and the content was selected and uploaded to the web page. The Web Designer then populated content across the EGD Criteria and designed a landing page as outline below. 2.2 Web Design and Structure The Digital Reports are compiled and published on the MERLIN Knowledge Hub and following a progressive disclosure approach for science communication. Reports are structured behind a landing page which presents a synthesis of impact assessments across all case studies and EGD Indicators, for which data were submitted by the case study leads. The landing page utilises the novel ‘MERLIN Smiley Faces’ approach using emojis to communicate levels of confidence in the assessment and the direction of the impact. A rating for each is calculated according to raw data and provided for all case studies and criteria allowing comparison between them. The user may navigate through links on the landing page to ‘Focus Pages’ where further information on exemplar EGD Indicators can be viewed. The content of these pages was selected by EGD Indicator Leads, responsible for conducting the synthetic analysis, providing selected information on highlight results and lessons learned. Links are provided on these focus pages to specific sections of MERLIN Deliverable reports where more detailed information and evidence is available. 2.3 Examples of Digital Report contents We present below screenshots of the Digital Report Landing Page (Fig 1), the page outlining the methodology of the synthetic analysis (Fig 2), an example of the Focus Pages for ‘Climate Regulation’ (Fig 3), and the page outlining an analysis of interactions resulting from restoration activities in the Tisza Floodplain (Hungary) Case Study (Fig 4). The Landing Page (Fig 1) operates as a Dashboard which navigates the user through various components of the synthetic analysis. It includes a summary figure of all the EGD Criterion and their classifications (i.e. Environmental, Social, Economic) as well as summary statistics for these categories indicating the proportion of reported positive, negative, or null effects and the corresponding confidence levels. The landing page also includes a summary of the synthetic analysis indicating the assessed impact direction and confidence ratings (as faces) grouped by case study type. The methodology behind each ‘face’ is identified by comment boxes that appear when hovering the cursor over them. The methodology behind the synthetic assessment is available through a link above the table. The raw data underpinning each Criterion impact assessment is available under the criterion table headings through the ‘data’ icon which links to the CSV file in Zenodo. Further information is available on each criterion by following the ‘Info’ icon under the respective table headings which takes the user to a Criterion Focus Page (e.g. for Climate Regulation, Fig 3). We include here the Focus Page on the Tisza Floodplain Case Study Impact Interactions Analysis which is accessible through a dedicated link above the table on the Landing Page. Creation of Digital Reports MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 8 Fig 1 - Screenshot of the Digital Reports Landing Page showing interactive links to Smiley Faces and a high-level synthesis of confidence and direction of impact form the synthetic analysis conducted by the EGD Indicator Leads. The Icons under the criterion titles in the table are Interactive and take the user to either the raw data file In Zenodo, or to further Information on the Criterion analysis through the 'Info' Icon. Creation of Digital Reports MERLIN Digital reports on results of the monitoring of the MERLIN case studies | Page 9 Fig 2 - Screenshot of the Digital Reports Assessment Methodology Description page. This page provides information on the novel assessment methodology designed and conducted by Criterion Experts which utilizes the raw data across the criteria provided by the Case Study Leads to produce a systemic and synthetic assessment providing estimates of confidence in reported impact and the direction of the impact. Fig 3. Screenshot of the EGD Indicator 'Climate Regulation' Focus Page showing general descriptive text on the lessons learned and an Interactive figure Including results for SubIndicators of this Criterion across the case studies.