Biodiversity on Flood Defenses

Learning targets

Biodiversity worldwide is under pressure, and there are increasing initiatives to protect it. In the Netherlands, more and more water authorities aim to promote biodiversity on flood defenses. To create high biodiversity on these structures, attention must be paid to it during construction, management, and maintenance. As a management and maintenance worker, you play a crucial role in this process. Additionally, it is your responsibility to ensure an erosion-resistant grass cover, which is essential for water safety. How can these objectives be aligned?

The following topics will be covered: 

• biodiversity in the Netherlands
• key considerations for flood defense construction
• management and maintenance methods
• behavior code of the Nature Conservation Act for Water Authorities
• ecology and protected nature in the Netherlands
• red lists
• natural succession

After completing this course, you will have:

• knowledge of enhancing biodiversity on flood defenses
• understanding of maintenance methods and biodiversity
• knowledge of preventing erosion in relation to biodiversity

Program

Day 1: Biodiversity and Grass Covering

• introduction and orientation
• what is biodiversity?
• erosion-resistant grass cover
• vision and function of grass covering
• management methods
• excursion

Day 2: Frameworks, Operations, and Construction

• legislation and regulations
• operations
• construction
• management methods
• excursion

Personal Contribution

As part of the program, you are expected to actively participate by sharing experiences or challenges from your work. This allows us to learn from both theory and practical workplace experiences.

Target group

This course is intended for managers and maintenance staff, as well as contractors working on behalf of water authorities

Collaborative Learning

We create an engaging learning environment where you can have meaningful discussions about both the course content and your work situation.