Restoration ecology
Monitoring and surveys
Reefs and Wind Farms: Lessons from North Sea ReViFES
Is the species diversity of reefs higher than that of sandy sediments? How can you kickstart an oyster reef within a wind farm? The scientific programme North Sea ReViFES investigates these questions and is designed to create building blocks for reef restoration in the North Sea. The programme is in its final phase and provides interesting insights into ecosystem services and the possibilities for measures to benefit reefs in future wind farms.
Building Blocks for Marine Restoration and Enhancement
In the scientific program North Sea Reef Vitalization for Ecosystem Services, we are investigating temperate reefs and their restoration and enhancement options in wind farms.
Today, the key insights from the researchers are available in a richly illustrated publication. This comprehensive reference work is available for North Sea professionals who want to get started with their own reef restoration project. Download it now.
Today, the key insights from the researchers are available in a richly illustrated publication. This comprehensive reference work is available for North Sea professionals who want to get started with their own reef restoration project. Download it now.
Lessons learned
The content is structured around the program's four building blocks:
Direct references to the underlying scientific studies make it easy to understand the designs and background studies. For those who prefer images to text, illustrations offer an alternative.
- Ecosystem services of natural reefs (Part 1). Empirical data of the value and services of temperate North Sea reefs.
- Techniques for native oyster hatcheries and oyster settlement (Part 2). New innovations that contribute to a source of oysters for native oyster restoration.
- Scientific data on enhancement measures in wind farms (Part 3). Biodiversity gain of reef integrated designs in offshore wind farms.
- Design principles for reef restoration and reef enhancement in wind farms (Part 4).
Direct references to the underlying scientific studies make it easy to understand the designs and background studies. For those who prefer images to text, illustrations offer an alternative.
North Sea ReViFES
NIOZ, Waardenburg Ecology, TU Delft, and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) are collaborating, with NIOZ as programme lead.
Waardenburg Ecology is one of the designers of the research programme and makes the science accessible to a broader professional audience, including those involved in practical applications and offshore operations.
NWO-TTW, ARK Rewilding, CIV, Ministerie van LVVN, Natuur & Milieu, Roem van Yerseke, Sas Consultancy, Stichting de Noordzee, Van Oord, Waardenburg Ecology, WWF are partners in the project.
Waardenburg Ecology is one of the designers of the research programme and makes the science accessible to a broader professional audience, including those involved in practical applications and offshore operations.
NWO-TTW, ARK Rewilding, CIV, Ministerie van LVVN, Natuur & Milieu, Roem van Yerseke, Sas Consultancy, Stichting de Noordzee, Van Oord, Waardenburg Ecology, WWF are partners in the project.
Knowledge gain essential for restoration of biogenic reefs
Biogenic reefs are complex structures built by organisms such as mussels, flat oysters, sand worms and honeycomb worms. They form the basis of rich habitats and complex ecosystems in the North Sea. Despite their crucial role and unique biodiversity, these reefs have largely disappeared due to human activities that disturb the seabed. Determining the extent of the ecosystem services that these reefs provide is essential to assess the impact of their decline and to understand how these reefs can be restored.