Tidal Nature As a Climate Buffer Flood Control Area Turning the Tide Together with Nature

Tidal nature as a climate buffer Flood control area Turning the tide together with nature

CO2

Carbon storage. Mud flats Climate change: CO2 mud flat and marshes store carbon from a challenge for river the air. the Scheldt Valley marsh Habitat for water birds and lock migratory birds. Birds find shelter The Scheldt has one of the largest estuaries in the willow tidal forests and reed in Europe, a funnel-shaped river mouth beds in the marshes and food in where river water and seawater meet and the mud flats. where tides are distinctively clear. In the last few centuries, we have forced the Scheldt Spawning and breeding ground and its tributaries into a straightjacket by for fish. Fish find a quiet spot to impoldering areas and straightening the breed and their young can grow in rivers. This has resulted in less room for them a protected location. to overflow their banks, affecting the risk of flooding. This risk is also increasing as a Levee protection. The marshes result of climate change: sea levels are rising, reduce the strength of the river storms are increasingly intense and flooding water. The waves no longer batter more frequent. Other consequences are hot the river levees as hard, thereby summers and droughts. preventing erosion.

Higher oxygen level. The water here is relatively shallow. This

Together with these partners, we are creating ensures considerable contact a climate-resilient and future-proof Scheldt Valley: between the water and air, resulting in more oxygen in the Better water. Sunlight is also well able to Nature as an ally penetrate the water, enabling algae protection to create more oxygen. Flanders Hydraulics Research Tidal nature consists of low-lying mud flats against flooding and higher-lying marshes that flood either in full or in part during high tide. In the past Transfer and intake of nutrients Flanders has formulated the Sigma Plan to Mud flats few decades, a tremendous amount of tidal and source of silicon. create a climate buffer against rising sea and marshes filter out excess www.life-sparc.eu nature has disappeared, while wetlands are levels and extreme weather conditions. How? nitrogen from the water, while a necessary ally against the consequences By offering the Scheldt and its tributaries enriching it with silicon. This helps of climate change. A resilient river with a more space through flood control areas (to repair the food chain. sufficient amount of mud flats and marshes capture excess river water) and depoldering can protect the entire region from extreme (to slow down storm water). The European weather conditions. Tidal nature subdues Tidal nature as a sponge. At high LIFE project Sparc – Space for Adapting tidal waves and the strength of the tides. But tide, the nature absorbs water the River Scheldt to Climate investing in this type of nature offers far more and, during dry periods, releases Hoogtij, festivities in the Scheldt Valley! Change – includes the creation advantages - for people, plants and animals. it gradually into the surroundings. Discover all the Scheldt Valley has to offer of eight Sigma areas (see map while sailing, cycling and walking during the This is explained in the drawing above. This is crucial during long droughts. annual Hoogtij event. on back) with funding from the www.hoogtijscheldevallei.be European Union. LIFE Sparc is being carried out on behalf of the European Union as part of the LIFE Climate Action programme. © Y. Adams (Vilda) © Y. Adams (Vilda)

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Maritime Canal Canal

Brussels-Scheldt E0 Leuven-Dyle

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Demer Valley

Bastenakkers

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Upper Dyle

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Dendermonde

Scheldebroek A2

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Vlassenbroek

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Bornem

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Durme

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Durme valley

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Lier Schouselbroek Waasmunster

Albert Canal E33

Kruibeke

Kleine Nete

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Scheldt Quays Nete and Kleine Nete

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Burchtse Weel Antwerp Scheldt Quays Nete and Kleine Nete Klein Broek Antwerp Polders of Herentals Nete Canal Kleine Nete © Y. Adams (Vilda) Groot Broek Kruibeke E33 Albert Canal The LIFE Sparc project lets us Waasmunster Schouselbroek Lier Temse Groot Schoor jointly work towards better Durme valley protecting the Scheldt Valley Bornem Cluster Rupel from climate change. The project E Westerlo Durme Hamme Bornem is based on four pillars: Nete Grote Nete E Lippenbroek Scheldt Meander De Bunt Vlassenbroek Dyle Estuary Ghent Vlassenbroek Ghent Wetteren Grote Nete Valley Room for the river Kalkense Meersen Cluster Wal-Zwijn Wal-Zwijn Mechelen We depolder and create flood control Scheldebroek A2 Dendermonde areas. The flood control areas collect Ham Groot Schoor Dyle water during storms, while depoldering Upper Dyle helps reduce the strength of the tides, as Wetteren Scheldt Bastenakkers Demer well as the pressure on the levees. Demer Valley Diest Uiterdijk Aarschot Dorent Dender Zenne Nature development E0 Brussels-Scheldt Leuven-Dyle We restore the original tidal nature: mud Maritime Canal ilvoorde Canal Sigma Plan project areas flats, marshes, channels and creeks, which form a habitat for numerous species of animals and plants. We explore ways to Scheldt Valley Depoldering River Park E3 make this nature more resilient against Flood control areas rising sea levels, higher temperatures, Sparc project areas LIFE Sparc in numbers longer droughts and more severe storms.

8 climate buffers 90 Scheldt Valley Knowledge sharing Visit the ambassadors: We share these unique solutions with 428 hectares 30 recreational businesses, custodians of other tidal areas in Europe Sparc areas! of freshwater tidal nature 30 'climate parents’ and through, for example, workshops and site visits. Sharing our experiences lets us Come explore these areas in the company 30 guides Budget of combine our strengths. of an enthusiastic guide. The Sparc project runs until 2022 and will offer more and 8,5 million euros Runs from more to experience as it progresses: including a European 2017 to 2022 birdwatching, cycling, walking, climate subsidy Discovery experience trails, pubs and more. In other Visitors can enjoy all the Scheldt Valley has words, something for everyone! This 6000 visitors 3 climate trails expected for cycling, to offer. The annual Hoogtij event, nature approach enables LIFE Sparc to tie in experience trails, ‘climate parents’, school perfectly with the goal of the Rivierpark walking and sailing packages and other initiatives provide Scheldevallei (Scheldt Valley River Park) during the annual a unique experience. Our ambassadors to make the Scheldt region a ‘green’ Hoogtij event welcome all visitors with open arms! attraction that is perfect for a day out.

More info on the Rivierpark Scheldevallei can be found at www.rivierparkscheldevallei.be/en.