The IALE-D Annual Meeting 2026, held on 6–7 October at the University of Hildesheim, brought together researchers and practitioners to discuss how traditional and modern cultural landscapes in Central Europe can become more resilient to climate change and support sustainable land use. 

SpongeBoost contributed to the meeting through the symposium “Sponge Landscapes as an Integrative Approach to Climate Adaptation: Analysis, Planning and Governance”, co-organised with sister projects SpongeScapes and SpongeWorks. 

The event focused on sponge landscapes as an integrative approach to climate adaptation, addressing increasing variability in water availability and altered runoff regimes and explored approaches to the analysis, planning and implementation of sponge landscapes, including the assessment of water-related functions, the development of integrated spatial concepts, and the governance and institutional frameworks that influence implementation. 

SpongeBoost was also represented through two posters:

• “Evidence of Sponge Potential in the Leipzig Floodplain”, authored by Michael Vieweg (UFZ), Mathias Scholz (UFZ), and Uwe S. Kaden

•  “S.P.O.N.G.E. – a pan-European portal that connects existing databases and projects that restore or enhance the natural water retention capacity of landscapes”, authored by Anneleen Geurts, Jos de Bijl (Bureau Stroming), P. Veldt, Michael Vieweg (UFZ), Mathias Scholz (UFZ), and Uwe S. Kaden.

The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange research and practical perspectives on sponge landscapes, climate adaptation and landscape-scale approaches, while showcasing SpongeBoost research and tools alongside related work from across the field.