The village of Zoutkamp was once located by the sea and a lively fishing port in its time. Due to the damming of the Lauwerszee, the connection with the sea disappeared.

The former municipality De Marne is located next to the Lauwersmeer and the Waddensea. Over years a fertile layer of clay was deposited throughout the area and forms the basis for successful agriculture today. This intense agriculture led to, among other things, a decline in soil quality and a decrease in biodiversity.

The Lauwersmeer used to be an estuary with an open connection to the Waddensea. In response to the large floods in Zeeland in 1953, it was decided to build a dyke around the estuary to protect the area against floods.

Climate change also affects agriculture. Dry summers, submerged fields after heavy rainfalls and upcoming salinization all have disastrous effects on food production.

The Dutch have bad memories when it comes to floods. In the future we want to prevent them at all costs. That’s why the High Water Protection Program was started, a national program in which 1300 kilometres of dykes are reinforced.

The Eems-Dollard is a large natural estuary in which the river Eems flows from Germany into the Waddensea. Over the years, this area struggles with large quantities of sludge, which is sinking less and less well.

Sea levels are rising rapidly. Requiring us to think of different ways to protect our coastal zones. The Twin Dyke is such an innovative project, developed as an alternative to the standard dike reinforcement.

The basic principle of the Rich Dike is to create a more natural transition between dike and water, creating more possibilities for nature.

Dike reinforcement is of utmost importance in the Netherlands to prepare for the changing climate. Given the costs of this process, there’s an ongoing search for innovative ways to reinforce dykes.

In the Middle Ages, the port city of Delfzijl took a strategic position between the city of Groningen and the open sea. After the Second World War, the city industrialized as part of the desired national economic development. The port was relocated and the city centre lost its direct connection to the Wadden Sea.

The region around Delfzijl has been quite dynamic in the past few years. Sea levels are rising, causing salinisation. Biodiversity is declining due to the silting of the Eems delta and the surrounding area is declining due to peat oxidation.

Sea level rise requires us to think differently. Instead of a static, defensive posture against water it is better to move with it.

A façade garden is a small green strip in front of a house. In the city of Groningen, inhabitants can ask for a free façade garden.

In Paddepoel, a post-war neighbourhood in the city of Groningen, various measures have been taken to stimulate climate adaptation. One is the creation of a wadi, short for ‘water drain by infiltration’.

The municipality of Groningen is working on a plan to make the Damsterplein greener and more climate adaptive. Currently, this square has to deal with heat stress and flooding.

At a rock’s throw distance from the city of Groningen lies the contiguous nature reserve De Onlanden for almost 10 years. Between the stream valleys of the Eelderdiep and the Peizerdiep lies wet low moorland.

In the Netherlands it often rains. A large share of that rainwater disappears into the sewer. When it rains too much, sewers can flood, with too little rain the much needed rainwater disappears.

The restoration of stream valleys is a reaction to the channelling of almost all Drentse streams. This was done in the early 20th century.

The Three Polders is one of the sub-projects of the area development in the Southern Westerkwartier. Originally this area was very wet, but over the years it was drained to benefit agriculture.

The Marumerlage area lies north of the village of Marum, and is crossed by the Dwarsdiep river. It is part of the ‘Ecologische Hoofdstructuur’: a network of existing nature reserves, new nature to be created and ecological connection zones where animals and plants are given priority.

It is often said that God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands. Over the years we have learned to reclaim or remove large bodies of water and protect our low-lying country against the sea.