Building with Nature

Partners of the Building with Nature project meet in Germany

15 September 2017 - Published by Eric Boessenkool
Coastal protectors have known for a long time: in the long run, it’s better to build with than against nature. This is the basic principle of the Building with Nature project. In this project scientific research institutions and specialist authorities participate in Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. At the invitation of the State Office for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Protection (LKN), 32 international experts met in Husum last week for their 3rd coordination group meeting.

“Sand is a material that is already moving and moving naturally”, explains Birgit Matelski, Head of the Department of Aquatic Ecology and Coastal Protection of the LKN, looking back at the meeting .Since man has been able to transport large amounts of sand by excavating and flushing vessels, he uses them in many regions for coastal protection. In the Building with Nature project LKN wants to use their pilot project Basewad (Balancing sediment deficit in the Wadden Sea) to bring their knowledge, but also their questions and benefit from the experiences of other countries. To preserve the west coast of Sylt in 1972 sand was washed on for the first time. Since 1984 this was done annually. Now the point is to gain insights as to whether and how the sand that has been introduced at the beaches and in the coastal area can also benefit the Wadden Sea, so that the sedimentation can keep up with the expected sea level rise.

During an excursion to Sylt, the project members were impressed by the work LKN had done there. Egon Baldal, project leader of the Building with Nature project, said: "It is great when international experts exchange so much and are willing to learn from each other. Every coast and every water has its peculiarities, and yet there are parallels on which discussions can build. "

Publications in German newspapers:

Forscher: Küstenschutz neu denken

Sand für den Küstenschutz: Internationales Expertentreffen in Husum

Internationales Expertentreffen in Husum