Last Friday, 8 March, Ellis Penning and Christopher Wittmann (Deltares) presented SpongeScapes at the NAC2024 conference, during a session dedicated to climate resilient sandy soil research in the Netherlands. The aim is to harmonise the work of the various Dutch-funded research projects on this topic.
The Dutch sandy soil landscapes, which cover more than 50% of the country, are facing increasing challenges such as droughts, floods and biodiversity loss, exacerbated by climate change. Achieving climate resilience in these landscapes is crucial, especially given their agricultural importance. In recent years, hydrological disruptions caused by over-drainage, water abstraction and land-use change have further threatened agricultural productivity and environmental integrity.
The NAC conference is a geological/geophysical science conference organised by the Dutch Research Council.