Spatial planning and ecology

Economic activity, rising populations and the impact of climate change are generating increasing pressure on habitable space in deltas, river basins and coastal areas. That makes area development a complex business.
Where water and soil are critical factors, the debate will be about more than just technological issues. For example, a range of policy agendas are usually involved, as well as several stakeholders, and nature will play an important role. So area development has to be approached from various angles.

Integrated area development aims to combine all these 'hard' and 'soft' perspectives in the light of the local context. The integrated approach contributes to the spatial planning process and the design of an area. Ultimately, that results in a sustainable structure for our living environment.
Deltares supports its clients during this process. We manage and facilitate both the process and the content; the aim is to generate high-grade technological solutions that have the support of society in general. We develop methods tailored to clients' specific requirements and put them into practice.

The ecology in delta areas is under increasing pressure. Deltares studies the ecological functioning of ecosystems in relation to human use and area development and advises about the most effective ways to restore ecosystem balance. We also conduct research into the extent to which climate change will impact ecosystem functions and quality.

This requires an understanding of the complex and dynamic characteristics of ecosystems. Our models for, and expertise about, water systems allow us to map out current and future ecosystem quality. In this area, there is a particular emphasis on climate robustness, the establishment and maintenance of resilient, healthy ecosystems (ecosystem health), the impact of interventions, the pleasure that people derive from their natural surroundings (ecosystem services) and innovations such as building with and for nature.

We advice about:

• Spatial planning
• Integrated ecosystem approach
• Ecological risk assessments
• Ecotoxicology
• Eco-engineering: Building with and for nature