From 29 June to 2 July 2026, SpongeBoost is taking part in the 21st Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) Europe Chapter in České Budějovice, Czech Republic.

Hosted by the Faculty of Science at the University of South Bohemia (USB), the event brings together researchers, practitioners and students to exchange knowledge and discuss the latest developments in wetland science, restoration and management.

Held under the theme "Functional Wetlands as a Part of Landscape Hydrological Connectivity and Resilience", the conference explores the role of wetlands in supporting biodiversity, water regulation and resilient landscapes. 

Over four days, the programme features plenary talks, scientific sessions, poster presentations and field excursions highlighting wetland research and restoration in South Bohemia. 

SpongeBoost partners are participating in this year's meeting through presentations, networking and knowledge exchange. 

Lea Hallik from the University of Tartu presented a SpongeBoost poster on remote sensing of water-table dynamics in natural bogs, investigating water-table variation across different tree-canopy conditions.

SpongeBoost Project Coordinator Mathias Scholtz, Lea Hallik and Ute Susanne Kaden

In addition, Ute Susanne Kaden from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) delivered a presentation on ‘Science into Action: Digital Tools for Environmental Education and Citizen Science in Floodplains and Wetlands', showcasing digital tools developed within the Restore4Life project, and also presented a poster on methods for measuring carbon sequestration in floodplain forests.

Ute Susanne Kaden, presenting at the event

The event provides a valuable opportunity to engage with the international wetland research community.