Flooding is the most important risk for loss of life and economic damage in the North Sea Region. Traditionally hard infrastructure such as concrete dams or dikes covered with stone are being used to protect us from flooding. Building with Nature is a concept in which natural processes are being used.
Building with Nature is an emerging complementary concept. In this concept, natural processes help to keep us safe against coastal erosion and flooding. One of the examples is giving rivers more space and restoring natural riverbanks, or stimulating vegetation growth to break the force of incoming waves. Both nature and people benefit from these solutions.
Opportunities for Building with Nature
To date, the concept of Building with Nature has been piloted on a small scale in a few countries, but opportunities are everywhere and yet unseized. The aim of the project is to develop knowledge about Building with Nature through pilot projects to stimulate the application of this concept by European Governments.
Partners of the Building with Nature project
In the Building with Nature project, partners from The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Scotland work together. They will demonstrate solutions at seven coastal sites and at six sites in estuaries, rivers and lakes.