Near-natural water balance and nature-based solutions - thinking the landscape from the water perspective

Digital Water Protection Forum of Environmental Organisations on Friday, 17 November 2023

Extreme weather events have increased significantly in recent years. Periods of drought and heavy precipitation events lead to problems that we should counteract especially by improving the landscape water balance with nature-based solutions.

What is now the talk of the town sponge concept in urban areas is still far too little discussed for the natural retention of water in the landscape. In times of climate crisis, nature-based solutions are primarily needed that simultaneously offer ecological, social and economic benefits and contribute to resilience at the landscape level. However, such approaches have hardly reached large scales in the field yet. Approaching a nature-based water balance is anchored as a goal in the National Water Strategy and means strengthening water retention in ecosystems, mitigating the effects of floods and droughts, improving material retention through wetlands and using cooling effects. What is in danger of falling by the wayside in the public discussion is the water demand of the ecosystems themselves. Without water, the functioning of the natural balance cannot be guaranteed.

What: Digital Water Protection Forum of Environmental Organisations "Near-natural water balance and nature-based solutions - thinking the landscape from the water perspective".
When: Friday, 17 November 2023 | 13:00 - 16:30 (admission 12:30).
Followed by a river film evening from 17:00 onwards
Where: Digital (You will receive the access data by e-mail a few days before the event after prior registration).

The Water Protection Forum 2023, organised by the environmental organisations DNR, BUND, WWF, DUH and NABU, will be followed from 5 p.m. by a digital river film evening organised in cooperation with WWF and the Living Rivers Foundation. Separate registration is not necessary. The film evening will be offered in the same online room. You are cordially invited to attend. The River Film Evening at the Water Protection Forum is funded by the European Open Rivers Programme.

The event is free of charge.

On the registration form you will find the event-related information on data protection and data processing, to which you agree with your registration.

Please register for the event using the form below by 16 November 2023. If you have any questions about the content and procedure of the Forum, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Maria Buzhor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Registration at: http://www.nabu.de/gsf2023

Here is the programme of the river film evening

Open Rivers - River Film Evening of the Living Rivers Foundation in cooperation with WWF Germany- Draft programme

17:00 Welcome by Michael Bender (Living Rivers Foundation)

17:05 Dam Removal - More Space for Austria's Rivers 11'52''

17:17 Weir Removal: Pegnitz becomes a "River Liberator Community" 2'30

17'20'' Talk with Sigrun Lange (WWF) about the Flussbefreier - competition and with Susanne Bauer (city councillor in Pegnitz) about the weir removal on the river Pegnitz

Info about the Open Rivers programme

17:30 Trailer Voda - Water lost and returned / Sumava National Park 1'56

Patagonia ProtectOcean FilmSeries Global sizzle 1'49

Slide: Patagonia petition to stop bottom trawling in coastal areas.

17:35 Talk with Theresa Schiller WWF and Antonio Rohrsen (Patagonia) on the international agenda to protect rivers and coasts.

Closing film:

17:40 The Custodians (seagrass meadow protection and reintroduction in Scotland) 17'30

18:00 End of the Open River Film Festival on the Water Protection Forum