Sustainable urban development demands more than ideas—it requires transformation and innovation at its core. To explore this, we spoke with Marleen Lodder, who worked as a Senior Researcher & Advisor at DRIFT (2011-2013) and is currently working as an independent researcher and advisor. Her expertise spans Urban Transitions, Urban Resilience, Cradle to Cradle, and the Circular Economy. Through her work on the five-year Connecting Nature project, Marleen shares how Reflexive Monitoring (RM)—a unique research and implementation method—can turn cities into dynamic hubs of sustainability and resilience.
Here’s how RM, combined with co-production, helped reshape urban governance across Europe, and why this method inspires practitioners worldwide.
What Is Reflexive Monitoring?
At its essence, reflexive monitoring is both a mindset and a toolkit. It helps stakeholders critically assess their progress, identify barriers, and adapt to their unique contexts to enable transformative change.
Marleen describes RM as “a set of practical tools that allow cities to analyze their actions, reflect on their processes, and ultimately build their capacity for innovation and collaboration.” In the Connecting Nature project, this approach was paired with co-production, bringing together municipalities, citizens, and experts to implement nature-based solutions (NBS) collaboratively.
From Theory to Practice: The Connecting Nature Project
The Connecting Nature Project was no ordinary research project. It “was an innovation action Horizon project, so that it really focused on having [an] impact on the ground with the cities.” As a five-year project encompassing various European cities, it started as a more theoretical endeavour, but Marleen’s goal was always to bring theory into practice. That meant “supporting the cities in how to cope and produce nature-based solutions together with the citizens in the city and the experts.”
To achieve this, Marleen turned to the Reflexive Monitoring in Action Guidebook (Van Mierlo et al., 2010). The guidebook offered tools that helped cities identify key moments—turning points and challenges—that could influence the success of NBS initiatives. Reflexive monitoring’s iterative process emphasized not just innovation but also the ability to dismantle systemic barriers to transformative change.
RM in Action: Overcoming Challenges, Empowering Cities
Implementing RM in practice was not without challenges. Marleen reflects on the early days of the project, noting that cities like Poznan, Poland, and Glasgow, Scotland, as well as the seven follower cities, initially faced a steep learning curve. Terms like 'Reflexive Monitoring' and the unfamiliar tools introduced uncertainty. 'Our role was to help them understand how these tools could fit their unique contexts and to build their confidence,' she explains.
As cities progressed, reflexive monitoring evolved from a guided process to an empowering one. For example:
- Frontrunner cities like Genk, Belgium, already experienced with RM, became mentors for other cities, facilitating peer-to-peer learning.
- Cities used RM tools to identify and analyze their challenges independently. Templates provided by the project enabled teams to document insights, leading to improved governance strategies.
These efforts led to tangible results. In Glasgow, Scotland, RM helped break down organizational silos, fostering collaboration across departments. In Poznan, the methodology supported upscaling efforts for NBS. According to Marleen, the cities’ ability to lead their own transformation was the true mark of success. “By the end, they didn’t need us anymore—they became the experts.”
Source: A practical guide to using reflexive monitoring for nature-based solutions.
A Catalyst for Transformation
Was reflexive monitoring truly transformative? Marleen challenges us to decide for ourselves, but the evidence speaks volumes. Cities restructured their governance systems, embraced innovation, and inspired others to do the same. The ripple effects extended beyond the original participants, creating a culture of peer-to-peer learning and a network of change-makers.
Through RM, cities didn’t just adopt new tools—they cultivated a mindset for continuous improvement and adaptability. “It’s about learning to navigate complexity,” Marleen says. “And that’s where the transformation happens.”
Beyond Connecting Nature: Continuing the Transformative Journey
Although the Connecting Nature project has concluded, its legacy endures. The guidebook developed during the project remains a valuable resource for practitioners, and Marleen continues to receive requests from municipalities and waterboards seeking support for urban transitions.
This ongoing interest highlights the transformative power of reflexive monitoring. It’s not just a method—it’s a movement, reshaping how cities approach governance and sustainability. For Marleen, it’s clear: the journey is far from over.
Takeaways for Practitioners
- Empowerment through learning: Reflexive monitoring builds capacity by enabling stakeholders to critically reflect on and adapt their approaches.
- Collaboration is key: Co-production ensures that solutions are inclusive, innovative, and rooted in real-world needs.
- Transformation is iterative: Change doesn’t happen overnight, but RM provides a roadmap for continuous improvement.
Interested in learning more?
- Peter Vos (Genk) on how his team benefited from Reflexive Monitoring
- Sean Kelly on what part Reflexive Monitoring played in Glasgow's Open Space Strategy
- UrbanByNature @BR Step 6: "The Value of Reflexive Monitoring for Nature-based Solutions Projects"
- UrbanByNature @BR Step 6: "How Reflexive Monitoring for Nature-based Solutions Works in Practice"
- Seizoen 2, #4: Transities binnensmokkelen bij de gemeente, met Carolien de Vries, Voer voor verandering
- Reflexive monitoring https://oppla.eu/product/23324
- 5 tips om zelf met een dynamische leeragenda aan de slag te gaan https://drift.eur.nl/nl/publicaties/5-tips-om-zelf-met-een-dynamische-leeragenda-aan-de-slag-te-gaan
Biography
Marleen Lodder worked for 12 years at DRIFT and is currently working as an independent researcher/advisor transition learning processes based on reflexive monitoring and started her own company “Productieve Tuin” as a circular garden designer/advisor.
Marleen supports 1-2 organizations a year with their sustainability transition journeys focusing on making room for learning, reflection and taking action. Based on her experience with reflexive monitoring in various European cities and process described in the guidebook she co-developed during the Connecting Nature project. In her work at DRIFT she worked on research and advisory projects for example: State of Transition project for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, a vision for Luxembourg in Transition: BEYOND LUX(E) and Connecting Nature.
In her work as a garden designer Marleen combines her experience in sustainability research with her background as an architect. Her expertise lies in gardens that are edible, circular and promote environmental sustainability and biodiversity. These gardens are tailored to the residents' requirements and harmonize with both the home and natural surroundings. The materials used in the gardens are upcycled and healthy, sourced at the local garden itself or the close surroundings.
What is Reflexive Monitoring?
Reflexive monitoring is a transformative research approach. Reflexive Monitoring in Action (RMA) is an integrated methodology that encourages learning within multi-actor groups or networks as well as institutional change to deal with complex problems 1 . It is a method developed to monitor and evaluate transformative solutions based on transition theory 3, 5, 6. The approach aims to trigger recurrent collective reflection on the results of actions undertaken in the light of systemic barriers as well as opportunities 1. Reflexive monitoring is used in transdisciplinary and transformative research projects to foster researchers' reflexivity and to strengthen different functions of reflexivity through collaborative autoethnography 2. The method is used to monitor and evaluate transformative solutions throughout their lifecycle 5. Therefore, reflexive monitoring is a transformative research approach that can be used to monitor and evaluate transformative solutions and to foster researchers' reflexivity in transdisciplinary and transformative studies.