Picture: infiltration test at Upper Thames conventional agricultural practice site (infield, where crops grow). (Neeraj Sah, UKCEH)

SpongeScapes was represented in Brussels on March 11, 2026 at a major joint policy event together with SpongeWorks, MERLIN and WaterLANDS, bringing the sponge landscapes concept directly into discussions on the future of European nature restoratio

On 28 January 2026, more than 20 stakeholders gathered in the Lèze valley, France, for the second SpongeLab workshop.

In Ljubljana’s hilly pre-alpine landscape, forests are more than just a scenic backdrop. They play a crucial role in managing rainwater and reducing flood risks for downstream urban areas.

On 28 November 2025, Greece hosted its National Sponge Day, organized online as part of the Horizon Europe SpongeScapes project.

On 6 November 2025, the Netherlands hosted its first National SpongeDay—a full-day knowledge event organised by the Horizon Europe SpongeScapes project, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Deltares.

Three new comics created under the Horizon Europe SpongeScapes project invite readers into the fascinating world of environmental research — where scientists study how rivers, soils, and ecosystems function, and how this knowledge can help us adap

In October 2025, as part of the SpongeScapes project, researchers from the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) conducted a field visit to the Gradaščica catchment near Ljubljana, Slovenia, to collect essential data for the calibration of their hyd

On 8 October 2025, the SpongeScapes project held its third SpongeLab workshop in Loosbroek, hosted by the Regional Water Authority Aa en Maas.

From 22 to 26 September 2025, European researchers, water managers, farmers, local authorities representatives gathered in Toulouse for the General Assembly of the Horizon Europe projects SpongeScapes and Spon

The SpongeScapes project has released its first major deliverable:  "Critical review of existing knowledge on sponge functions for different climatic zones, soils and land uses in Europe." 

As nature-based solutions gain momentum across Europe, a new study from SpongeScapes Italian partners from the University of Padova  broadens the lens on how we evaluate  sponge measures (Natural Water Retention Measures -NWRMs - in thei

Can reviving traditional water management techniques boost biodiversity in drought-prone landscapes? The Greek case study from the SpongeScapes project is helping us find out. 

On 18 July 2025, SpongeScapes hosted an online collaborative workshop with partners from both the SpongeScapes and SpongeWorks Horizon Europe projects.

Brdo pri Kranju, SL - February 4-5 2025

Lèze basin, FR - 23 January 2025

Loosbroek, NL - November 21 2024

Wallingford, UK – October 23-25, 2024

The growing challenge of droughtDrought is a growing concern in the Upper Biebrza River Basin in Poland. It is affecting the entire region: both agricultural and wetland ecosystems.

Re-starting biodiversity monitoring for the Kavouropotamos stream in 2024 

In the SpongeScapes project, monitoring natural water retention measures over different seasons and years is key to understanding their effectiveness.