From the Wadden Sea to Essex: social sciences fieldwork in full swing
At the start of 2026, REWRITE’s social sciences team launched an intensive series of field campaigns across several Demonstrator Sites. Running from January through April, this work focuses on understanding how coastal communities experience, shape, and respond to rewilding processes.
Listening to landscapes and communities
The first stop was the Wadden Sea, where a week of fieldwork (16–23 January) focused on Lauwersmeer and Schiermonnikoog. The team conducted 17 interviews with local stakeholders, with more planned in a follow-up visit later this spring. Beyond the data, the campaign offered a first-hand experience of the vast coastal landscapes, encounters with local communities, and the unique atmosphere of a region shaped by both nature and human intervention.
In parallel, a longer field campaign unfolded in the Scheldt estuary between Belgium and the Netherlands (19 January–13 March). Over nearly two months, researchers immersed themselves in the daily life of the estuary, combining interviews with participation in local initiatives and events. These included the “Geen Zee te Hoog” Living Lab on sea level rise, bird monitoring activities in Saeftinghe, and site visits such as the Kruibeke polder. The campaign concluded with a joint week alongside the natural sciences team, strengthening collaboration across disciplines.
Further west, the Essex estuarine complex hosted another intensive campaign. Over ten days, the team carried out 27 interviews, supported by the local partners. Despite the typically unpredictable English weather, the fieldwork provided valuable insights into the region’s coastal dynamics, as well as the opportunity to connect with local stakeholders and better understand the challenges and opportunities facing these landscapes.
Blackwater estuary
What’s next
Fieldwork continues in the coming months, with several campaigns already underway or planned. Activities in the Loire estuary, which began last year, will continue until early summer. The team will also return to the Wadden Sea for a second round of interviews in March and April, and a new campaign is scheduled in the Gyldensteen lagoon in April 2026.
Together, these field campaigns are building a richer picture of how rewilding is understood and experienced across Europe’s coastal regions. By combining local knowledge with scientific research, REWRITE aims to support more inclusive and grounded approaches to coastal restoration.
Peazemerlannen polder (Lauwersmeer)
