This week, we welcomed master’s students from the French university Junia-ISA Lille (Environment Science and Pollution Management programme) for an inspiring field visit to the Northern Netherlands.
At Province of Fryslân, the students were introduced to our approach to soil, dredging, and sustainability. In Warten, they were welcomed by Klaas Hoekstra, Jildou de Raad, and Jantina Wiersma.
During the boat tour, Jildou de Raad presented the European Horizon project SOILCRATES EU. The bottom-up approach, in which farmers, researchers, governments, and local stakeholders work together on healthy soils, was received with great enthusiasm.
The students also learned about:
• De Bakkerij in Warten – where dredged material is processed into reusable soil
• Trijehûs – a former dredging depot that has been transformed into a nature reserve
• Ald Dwinger – a site where nature management and soil remediation come together
A great opportunity to showcase how innovation, circular practices, and international cooperation come together in Fryslân in practice.
