A test site for salt marsh development, part of the ‘Marconi Buitendijks’ project, was opened on 2 November at Delfzijl, reports the EcoShape.
The salt marsh landscape will help researchers investigate different strategies to develop salt marshes.
The 15-hectare salt marsh landscape has been divided into a number of test sections that differ in soil composition and planting of samphire.
Project leader Petra Dankers of EcoShap e: “ The subsoil of the salt marsh landscape consists of sand and clay, just like the natural subsoil of a salt marsh. To find out which ratio of sand and clay works best for salt marsh development, we have added 5%, 20% or 50% clay to the top layer of sand in the test sections .”
According to the EcoShape, this winter the researchers measure height changes, development of channels and erosion and siltation of the salt marsh, to map the initial situation.
Marconi Delfzijl Scheme
The municipality of Delfzijl faces a number of challenges. The sea level is rising and the ecosystem is being threatened because of excessive levels of sediment in the Ems Dollard estuary. Next to that, the municipality wants to increase the attractiveness of the city.
The EcoShape therefore made a Building with Nature design for the coastal area near Delfzijl, containing a beach, a salt marsh park and a salt marsh landscape. The municipality commissioned the EcoShape to conduct the research into salt marsh development on the landscaped salt marsh landscape.
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