At DEME, we recognize the importance of integrating nature into our operations and designs. Our Nature-based Solutions (NbS) strategy incorporates ecological principles within engineering processes to provide sustainable, resilient, and adaptable infrastructure for the future. From coastal habitat restoration to biodiversity enhancement in marine environments, our approach is grounded in leveraging natural processes to deliver long-term benefits for communities and ecosystems. Each marine infrastructure project presents an opportunity to go beyond standard environmental protection by advancing and promoting ecological value.
Nature-based Solutions
Building resilience through nature
Nature-based Solutions: building resilience through nature
Definition
Nature-based Solutions mimic (local) natural ecosystems to deliver value to both society and nature. They can be deployed independently or integrated with traditional (hard) coastal engineering. They create, protect and/or conserve ecosystems, which benefit the project, creating more resilience and at the same time addressing social, economic and environmental challenges effectively and adaptively.
NbS assures that infrastructures become and remain resilient and future-proof even in changing ecosystems, protecting investments.
Solutions
With NbS, DEME creates a balance between grey (hard) structures and green solutions. Depending on the specific project context, the solution may lean more towards traditional gray infrastructure or embrace greener, nature-based elements. All relevant factors are carefully considered in order to deliver the most effective, balanced, and integrated outcomes.
Our solutions:
- Sandy solutions (beach nourishment, dunes, …)
- Landscaping of seabed (at borrow pits)
- Beneficial use of (soft) sediments
- Ecologically enhanced hard engineering
- Biogenic or artificial reefs
- Wetlands (including mudflats, fresh and salt marshes) restoration/construction
- Mangroves restoration/construction
- Seagrasses restoration/construction
- Coral restoration/construction
To facilitate offshore wind development without compromising ecological integrity, DEME is minimizing additional pressures on the environment by incorporating NbS which facilitate habitat creation inside offshore wind lease areas.
Explore with us
Bird Islands in the Szczecin Lagoon, Poland
The 2022 project successfully reused dredged material from a 65 km access channel to create two artificial islands in the Szczecin lagoon, serving as a bird sanctuary. It combined maritime access with environmental benefits, planting over 9,000 trees and creating nests for local species. Two years later, nature is thriving thanks to strong sustainability measures and stakeholder cooperation.
Nature-friendly dike reinforcement in Marken, the Netherlands
The Marken project near Amsterdam combines dike reinforcement with ecological development to balance nature and tourism. Habitats for swallows and grass snakes, recreational beaches, and nature-inspired dikes with soft slopes and seed mixtures are being created to boost biodiversity. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the project fully complies with Natura2000 norms.
Blankenberge breakwaters, Belgium
The Blankenberge project showcases sustainable coastal development by using ECOncrete to boost marine biodiversity while ensuring structural strength. This innovative approach minimizes ecological impact and promotes long-term resilience, setting a benchmark for nature-inclusive infrastructure along the Belgian coast.
Sigma plan, Belgium & the Netherlands
The Hedwige and Prosper polders are being intentionally flooded as part of a Flemish‑Dutch project under the Scheldt Treaties, creating a new intertidal landscape of mudflats and salt marshes that strengthens flood protection and ecological resilience. DEME built a new 1.8‑kilometer inland flood defense and removed the old dikes. The area will be integrated into Grenspark Groot‑Saeftinghe, enhancing biodiversity and providing habitats for breeding birds.
DuneFront, Belgium
DuneFront is a European research initiative focused on developing hybrid Dune-by-Dike Nature-Based Solutions to enhance coastal resilience in the face of climate change. By combining natural dune systems with engineered dikes, the project aims to create adaptive, sustainable, and biodiversity-friendly coastal defenses. It brings together 17 partners across seven countries to test and refine these solutions at 12 demonstrator sites. DuneFront’s approach integrates ecological, physical, and socio-economic insights to inform future-proof coastal infrastructure design
Venice Lagoon, Italy
The Venice Lagoon is a fragile ecosystem threatened by rapid sinking caused by sediment loss and subsidence. To counter this, dredged sediments are reused within the lagoon to rebuild eroded salt marshes. In partnership with the NGO We are here Venice, DEME is running a pilot project to transform these artificial infills into healthy, functioning marshes through nature‑based methods and scientific monitoring, while also exploring the economic case for wetland restoration across the Mediterranean.
Bankbusters, Belgium
Bankbusters is a research and development project testing a nature‑inclusive approach to protecting riverbanks from erosion on the Scheldt River in Belgium. The pilot aims to restore natural wilderness and tidal marsh habitats, boosting biodiversity and ecosystem services. It relies entirely on nature‑inspired materials such as lightweight wooden structures, natural geotextiles, added sediment, and vegetation
Through Leadership & Research
DEME actively contributes to the development and further deployment of Nature-based Solutions through:
- Participation in EU-funded research programs
- Participation in pilot projects
- Co-authored publications on sediment reuse and ecological engineering
At DEME, we are committed to bringing innovations to projects, ensuring that our state-of-the-art solutions reach society.
We are proud to be shaping the future of sustainable marine infrastructure.