Omgevingskwaliteit concreet gemaakt: Burgerjurymethode in Flevoland

The province of Flevoland involved a participatory citizens' jury in its definition of local environmental quality. In this method of public participation, 12 to 18 representative jury members are selected from a pool of volunteers. Jury members are provided first with relevant information, then develop their well-informed opinion about alternatives and finally phrase a jury verdict on these alternatives. Aim of this jury was to define environmental quality in three regional landscapes in the province, in terms of economic, environmental and social-cultural aspects. The authors of this paper organized and facilitated the jury. It was concluded that the topic was not too complicated for the citizens' jury instrument. It offered new insights and the recommendations to the authorities were well founded. Provincial authority representatives expressed some reservation at the feasibility of a few recommendations and at the relation of some other recommendations to the relevant policy area, i.e. spatial planning.