On 10–12 June 2026, SpongeBoost took part in the fifth Iberian Congress on River Restoration, RestauraRíos 2026, held in Soria, Spain. The event brought together around 450 participants from across the river restoration community to exchange knowledge and share practical experiences.

Organised by the Duero River Basin Authority (CHD), the Iberian Centre for River Restoration (CIREF), together with Wetlands International Europe (WIE) and the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), the congress featured more than 170 speakers and attendees across plenary, roundtable, and parallel sessions. 

Throughout the congress, participants exchanged knowledge on river ecosystem restoration, river connectivity, flood risk management, nature-based solutions, collaborative governance, and environmental education. 

SpongeBoost partners contributed to the congress through several presentations. 

• Paul Brotherton (WIE) and Aniela Stachnik (CIREF) delivered the plenary presentation "Re-Sponging Iberia: Creating Flood- and Drought-Resilient Landscapes", exploring how sponge landscapes can strengthen resilience to floods and droughts.

• Tarso Costa (SPEA) also gave a presentation on integrated monitoring of peatland restoration, sharing examples from the Graminhais Plateau case study in the Azores.

The event provided a valuable platform to share project experiences, strengthen collaboration and exchange knowledge that supports more effective restoration practices across Europe.