Green-grey solutions
Sometimes, fully 'green solutions' are not feasible due to high wave energy and/or limited space. Here, green-gray hybrid solutions may form an interesting alternative. In addition to a traditional dike, vegetated foreshores can help to reduce wave height and stabilize the sediment. Under certain conditions the dike’s crest can even be designed lower than in a traditional design due to the wave-attenuating effect of the foreshore. In addition, the ecological value of grey infrastructure can be improved by slightly adapting them to form a habitat for a variety of plants and animals. These 'nature-enriched structures' or 'rich revetments' are applied in harbours as well as along sea dikes.
| Foreshores in freshwater environments | Enriching revetments | Creating hanging and floating structures |
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Hybrid solution to replace the traditional 'hard-cover' design. Vegetated foreshores in freshwater environments have the ability to reduce wave impact, provide en enhance the natural value. | This concept aims to create biodiverse habitats in the intertidal and subtidal zone of hard structures such as seawalls and harbours. | Rich structures are small-scale structures that provide habitat for organisms. Examples are floating marshes and pile and pontoon hulas. The structures are easy to apply and suitable even when available space is limited. |
