SpongeScapes: in Legnaro, the European project for “sponge” landscapes

From 15 to 17 September, the Corte benedettina di Legnaro will host the general assembly of SpongeScapes, a European project funded by Horizon Europe and running from 2023 to 2027.

Coordinated by the Dutch institute Deltares, the project involves ten partners from eight countries: the University of Padua, with the TESAF Department, represents Italy.

The aim is to strengthen the natural “sponge function” of territories, promoting the absorption, retention and gradual release of water in order to increase resilience to floods, droughts and climate change.

On Wednesday 16 September, technical visits are scheduled to Giavenale, Santorso and Bosco Limite, between Padua and Vicenza, to observe various nature-based solutions applied in agricultural, urban and peri-urban settings.

Vincenzo D’Agostino, Director of TESAF and the project’s scientific lead for the University of Padua, points out that the new European Nature Restoration Law makes the issue of soil permeability even more relevant, and that the challenge of SpongeScapes is to extend “sponge” solutions from the local scale to the landscape scale, starting from pilot cases that are already operational.

Participation in the activities is restricted to sector professionals and project partners.