SpongeScapes

SpongeScapes accelerates solutions that improve the sponge functioning of soil, groundwater, and surface water systems, with the aim to improve the resilience of European landscapes against extreme events such as floods and droughts. This is done by strategically employing natural water retention measures, effectively restoring and improving the water cycle. This project is led by Deltares and brings together 10 European partners along with local stakeholders linked to 14 case studies. SpongeScapes is dedicated to enhancing the knowledge database on nature-based solutions, refining techniques for monitoring and modeling and applying these solutions across different geographical landscapes. It is also evaluating how individual 'sponge measures' function and assessing the approaches to develop comprehensive 'sponge strategies' at larger scale. SpongeScapes is a partnership between Deltares (NL), International Office for Water (FR), Leibniz University Hannover (DE), University of Padova (IT), University of Ljubljana (SI), Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (SI), Warsaw University of Life Sciences (PL), WWF (GR), Etifor (IT) and UK Centre For Ecology & Hydrology (UK), who will work closely together with their local stakeholder partners of the 14 case studies SpongeScapes is funded under European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, Grant Agreement No 101112738, and supported by UKRI/HM Government.