‘Building with Nature’ wins dredging paper award

The Best Paper Award and the €1,000 prize was presented by former Central Dredging Association (CEDA) director Jan van’t Hoff during the closing ceremony of PIANC MMX, which was held in Liverpool last month.

The winning paper explores the potential for sustainable development of nourished shorelines through innovative solutions in project design and realization that are based on sound understanding of ecosystem dynamics, construction processes and stakeholder demands. It explains the underlying principle to these innovative approaches, the ‘Building with Nature’ concept that aims to create through integral consideration of all functions and values of a coastal system.

Two case studies demonstrate the application of this concept through the development of so called so called ecodynamic design strategies that are central to the ‘Building with Nature’ philosophy. One of the cases is about the application of mega-nourishments for coastal development, the other is about ecological landscaping in sand mining areas.

‘The paper addresses a relevant subject. It gives good, useful examples for solutions when natural processes play a central role resulting in win-win outcomes. It contains valuable information presented in a clear, logical manner’, said Polite Laboyrie, chairman of the CEDA Environment Commission’s choice for this year’s Award.

The Environment Commission of CEDA has established this Award to stimulate the dissemination of good quality information related to dredging and the environment, including technical, regulatory and managerial aspects of dredging operations and dredged material management.