Pensoft has taken on the responsibility of leading the SpongeBoost project, which aims to protect and promote natural sponge landscapes in Europe. This initiative comes in response to the increasing frequency of extreme events, such as floods and droughts, which have caused significant damage to both nature and society.
Through the use of innovative approaches and building upon existing solutions, SpongeBoost aims to enhance the functional capacity of sponge landscapes. Pensoft, as one of the partnering institutions, is leading Work Package #5, which focuses on communication, dissemination, exploitation, showcasing best practices, and networking. This work package aims to establish the project’s identity, build a strong network, and provide comprehensive and well-packaged information to targeted stakeholders.
The Project
SpongeBoost is a Horizon Europe-funded project with a budget of approximately EUR 3 million. It is coordinated by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and involves 10 partnering institutions from seven European countries. The project officially launched in January 2024 and is set to conclude in December 2027.
SpongeBoost is part of the EU mission “Adaptation to Climate Change,” which aims to support EU regions, cities, and local authorities in their efforts to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
“The protection and revitalization of wetlands, particularly through peatland rewetting and river floodplain restoration, plays a central role in this,“
says project manager Mathias Scholz from the UFZ.
I’m excited to learn how we can restore water retention in our landscapes!