SpongeBoost Project

👀 Spotted a project that really knows how to re-sponge? Maybe a wetland brought back to life. A river given more room. A community turning dry land back into a sponge. ⏲️ The nomination only takes a few minutes. Deadline: 31 October 2026. 📢 Nominate: events.pensoft.net/events/spong...

📢 SpongeBoost’s seventh newsletter is out! As SpongeBoost continues its work to restore natural water-retention functions, the project is moving from research to wider application. 🔗 Read the newsletter here: preview.mailerlite.io/preview/1004...

The official award ceremony for the SpongeBooster of the Year 2026 took place in Camas, where the Spongy Slopes initiative received its trophy! 📢 Nominations are now open for the final SpongeBooster of the Year 2027 award. Nominate: events.pensoft.net/events/spong... Read more: bit.ly/4yzzy3y

#TERRAenVISION 2026 took place in Trier from 7–10 September and brought together scientists, policymakers, and industry representatives to explore how nature-based solutions can address challenges related to biodiversity and resource availability. 🌱 Learn more: www.spongeboost.eu/news/spongeb...

🌸 This month's SpongeBooster is Fritillaria meleagroides, a rare species associated with wet meadow communities. It has been recorded in river meadows with shallow groundwater and temporary water stagnation during spring Behind one rare flower is a whole meadow community worth protecting. 🌿

🔍Discover the #SpongeBoostSheets The Schneifel is a largely forested ridge in the southern Eifel with extensive state forest areas and a protected Natura 2000 / FFH context.🌿 Read the Fact sheet: www.spongeboost.eu/case-studies...

¡Hola desde Spongy! 👋 SpongeBoost’s second volume of the comic book is now also available in Spanish 🇪🇸, out of a total of 9 languages. 💡🌱 Аvailable on Zenodo and on our website: zenodo.org/records/2043...

Discover the #SpongeBoostSheets: 100+ hectares of peatland on volcanic soils at Graminhais Plateau 🌋 This unique habitat is under pressure from grazing and invasive species, disrupting water retention and reducing native biodiversity. 📄 Read the fact sheet: www.spongeboost.eu/case-studies...

Restoring Europe’s Sponge Landscapes 🌱💧 A new article, co-authored with our partner Paul Brotherton of @wetlandsint.bsky.social, calls for nature-based solutions and landscape restoration to become central to Europe’s climate adaptation efforts. Read more: www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...

📢🌱 A new press release on the joint policy brief from SpongeBoost and its sister projects, SpongeWorks and SpongeScapes, is out! 🔗 Find out more: lnkd.in/d5NhSsm2 📖 Read the policy brief: lnkd.in/dJkDT_g3

A closer look at what you can find at the SpongeBoost and @ferroproject.eu booth at #SERE2026! 👀🌿 Explore our comic books and joint policy brief with SpongeScapes & SpongeWorks! Read the comic book: lnkd.in/dTdJbvhP Find the policy brief: lnkd.in/dJkDT_g3

💧📋 SpongeBooster of the Month: The Blue Deal in Fanders, Belgium Not every SpongeBooster is fluffy, green, or hops through wetlands. Sometimes, it's a policy! #SpongeBooster #BlueDeal #SpongeLandscapes #NatureBasedSolutions #ClimateAdaptation #WaterResilience

🙌Pensoft is at the #SERE2026 conference in Brest, France, through August 28! 🚶Stop by our booth to learn more about the latest results from the EU-funded projects @spongeboost.eu and @ferroproject.eu , as well as the latest news and informational materials.

The #SERE2026 Conference is in full swing! 🤗🌿 We were happy to welcome our coordinator, Mathias Scholz from @ufz.de, to our booth! 👋 Make sure to stop by to explore our comic books 📚, policy briefs 📄, and communication materials, and learn more about our latest results and impact. 🌱

SpongeBoost and @ferroproject.eu are at the #SERE2026 Conference in Brest, France! 🤗🌊 Our partners from @pensoft.net are representing both projects, showcasing the latest updates, results and communication materials. Make sure to stop by and say hello! 👋 #EcologicalRestoration #NatureRestoration

The Biodiversity Meets Data project is hosting a high-throughput biodiversity monitoring workshop in Seville, Spain 🌿 🔗 Learn more: bmd-project.eu/news/biodive...

Our final post from the #SpongeBoostResearch campaign is here! 🌱💡 Today’s publication: 📄 “Landslide ecological restoration using Nature-based Solutions: A case study in the Azores” 📚 Read it here: open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/6-1...

We continue with the 8️⃣ post from the #SpongeBoostResearch campaign 🌱💡 Today’s research paper: 📄 “Restoring coasts and floodplains - Conclusions and recommendations for enabling action across science, policy, and practice” 📚 Read it here: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1845...

🌱The new joint Spongeboost #PolicyBrief identifies how the upcoming EU policy processes offer a strategic opportunity to integrate #SpongeMeasures into regional and national water, nature restoration, #ClimateAdaptation and mitigation plans and strategies. 📖 Read here: zenodo.org/records/2172...

Discover the #SpongeBoostSheets: Serra do Xistral Peatlands, Spain. 🌺 Did you know? Serra do Xistral is the southernmost continental #peatland complex in Europe and is primarily fed by fog, receiving up to 16,000 mm of water annually. Read the factsheet here: lnkd.in/deFnZYzp

🌱The @green-talent.eu project is currently collecting success stories and lessons learned from various R&I case studies in the field of biodiversity and #ClimateChange. If you'd like to share your experience, check out the post below. 👇

From 24–28 August, SpongeBoost and @ferroproject.eu will be at #SERE2026 in Brest, France, co-hosting a joint exhibition booth.🤝 Stop by our booth to discover project results, browse our latest materials and learn more about how SpongeBoost is working to restore the #sponge functions of #soils!🧽

Time for the 7️⃣ post from the #SpongeBoostResearch campaign! 🌱💡 Today’s research paper: 📄 “Challenges and opportunities in restoring European free-flowing rivers” 📚 Read it here: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1737...

Did you miss our first webinar? 🎥 Catch up and explore the project's key outputs: 🔹 S.P.O.N.G.E. database 🔹 Comic book series 🔹 Joined policy brief on sponge function restoration with our sister projects SpongeScapes and SpongeWorks 💻 Watch the recording here 👉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3yN...

🌿💧 #SpongeBoosterOfTheMonth: Sphagnum mosses Their specialised cells store large amounts of water, keeping peatlands wet between rainfall events. Protecting Sphagnum means healthier peatlands, more biodiversity, and greater resilience to floods and droughts. 🙌

The first-ever Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Exhibition is looking for inspiring stories from cities around the world. 📸 If you know of a nature or nature-based solution in your city that deserves more attention, this is a great opportunity to share it. 📅 Submission deadline: 31 July 2026

⬇️ A new knowledge synthesis developed by the Science Service for Biodiversity through @bioagora.eu and the Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) provides the scientific foundation for assessing the ecological condition of #peatlands and coastal lagoons under key EU environmental legislation. 💡

We’re back with the 6️⃣ post from the #SpongeBoostResearch campaign 🌱💡 Today’s research paper: 📄 “Wetlands in the EU policy context” 📚 Read it here: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1637...

Do you know what the largest continuous floodplain forest in Central Europe is? 💧🌲 As part of #SpongeBoostSites, we will introduce you to the Leipzig floodplain forest 🦫 🔗 Learn more about this area on our website: www.spongeboost.eu/case-studies...

Learn about wetland restoration valuation in our 5️⃣ post from the #SpongeBoostResearch campaign, which evaluates the socio-economic value of different wetland restoration approaches using cost–benefit analysis across three case studies. 📚 Read it here: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/164530

📢 Last week, SpongeBoost was spotted at two major biodiversity events across Europe: #BEeS2026 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and the #ECCB in Leiden, the Netherlands, dedicated to advancing effective biodiversity conservation. Explore the SpongeBoost project to find out more: www.spongeboost.eu

Do you know which is the largest protected area in Estonia? 👀 As part of our #SpongeBoostSites campaign, we introduce you to the Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve - one of the most important and most flood-prone floodplain systems in Estonia💧 👉 All the case studies: www.spongeboost.eu/case-studies

🔍Discover our results: Comic books One of the key project #outputs we'll present during our upcoming webinar is SpongeBoost’s comic series. Join us on 15 July to find out more! Register for the event here: lnkd.in/d9jNZcU6

🔍Discover our results: S.P.O.N.G.E. One of the key project #outputs we'll present during our upcoming webinar is S.P.O.N.G.E., Europe's navigation guide to sponge projects and measures. Join us on 15 July to see it in action! Register for the event here: lnkd.in/d9jNZcU6

We’re back with our 4️⃣ research paper from the #SpongeBoostResearch campaign that proposes using AI, sensor networks, and citizen science to improve wetland biodiversity tracking under EU policies. 🔍 Check it out here: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1670...

🌱From 29 June to 2 July 2026, SpongeBoost is taking part in the 21st Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) Europe Chapter in České Budějovice. Find out more on our website🔗 www.spongeboost.eu/news/spongeb...

As part of our campaign #SpongeBoostSites, we explore Sotos de Alfaro – a protected riverine area spanning 2,385 hectares, where @CIREF is leading SpongeBoost activities ⛰️💧 Watch the video to learn more or check out our website: www.spongeboost.eu/case-studies

🌱Earlier this June, SpongeBoost took part in #RestauraRíos2026 in Soria, Spain. The event provided a valuable platform to share project experiences and exchange knowledge that supports effective restoration practices.✨ 🔍Keep reading on our website: www.spongeboost.eu/news/spongeb...

Found in wetlands, bogs, and peatlands, cotton grass thrives where sponge functions are alive and well. Its return often signals recovering ecosystems, restored water levels, and healthier habitats for specialised species. Fluffiness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #CottonGrass #NatureBasedSolutions #SpongeLandscapes

Our next newsletter is on its way! 🏃‍➡️🗞️ 🌱 Catch up on the latest updates from our project by subscribing to our newsletter via this link: dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/100477... Missed out on the previous issues? 👀 You can find them all on our website: www.spongeboost.eu/media-center...

💧 How do we turn evidence into action for sponge landscapes? 📅 Join our upcoming SpongeBoost webinar to explore three key project outputs for advancing sponge landscapes across Europe: events.hifis.net/event/4188/ #SpongeLandscapes #NatureBasedSolutions #Restoration

Здравей от Спонджи! 👋 SpongeBoost’s second volume of the comic book is also available in Bulgarian 🇧🇬 out of a total of 9 languages. 💡🌱 Find the translated Bulgarian version of Spongy’s nature-based solutions for climate on Zenodo and on our website: zenodo.org/records/2013...

SpongeBoost materials spotted at the #WBF2026 (@worldbioforum.bsky.social)! 🌿🇨🇭 SpongeBoost's brochures, stickers, and comic books were displayed and distributed at the @pensoft.net booth to help introduce new audiences to the project’s mission and valuable work.

Today, during the #Restaurarios2026 Conference in Soria 🇪🇸, SpongeBoost partner Tarso Costa from SPEA hosted a talk on integrated monitoring of peatland restoration. He gave real examples from one of SpongeBoost's case study sites – Graminhais Plateau, Azores 🌿 👉More about the site: lnkd.in/dvUkyBd7

This time, as part of our campaign #SpongeBoostSites, we take you to the beautiful Pärnu catchment in southwestern Estonia, where the University of Tartu is leading SpongeBoost activities 🌿 Learn more about the case study and SpongeBoost’s role in it via the video ⬇️

📸 SpongeBoost was spotted at the 2nd General Assembly Meeting of the EU-funded @ferroproject.eu. 🌱 The event is currently taking place in Silkeborg, Denmark 🌍

Time for the 3️⃣ post from our #SpongeBoostResearch campaign, which addresses the setbacks to wetland restoration, such as degradation of soils and nutrients, and outlines possible strategies to deal with those issues 💡🌱 🔍 Read here: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1583...

Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay 2026! 🌍🫶 Today, we celebrate our planet and call for action towards a greener world. You can be part of this year’s #NowForClimate campaign, organised by @unep.org, by joining or hosting a World Environment Day event: www.worldenvironmentday.global/2026/get-inv...

It's World Peatlands Day! 🌿 What better day to announce that WET HORIZONS will be holding its final conference session at SERE2026 in Brest this August! Come join us for our special session about policy-ready evidence and tools for Europe's wetland restoration!

Did you know? 💡 #Peatlands store more carbon than all the world’s forests combined, despite covering only 3% of the Earth's surface. Protecting these ecosystems is key to tackling climate change. 🌍