Field trips

On the afternoon of Friday 1 October (13.00-18.00 hrs) participants are offered planned excursions* to initiatives showing how the Dutch kept their feet dry and how they are preparing for future climate challenges. Among projects to be visited is a flood-prevention effort involving creation of space for the river. Furthermore, boat and bicycle trips will be organised and technical innovations will be visited. 

* The organisation reserves the right to cancel field trips if the minimum number of applications is not met.

1. Fighting floods and droughts - Field trip Delta Works and Flood Disaster MuseumVisit the Delta Works which were built between 1950 and 1997 to protect the southwest of the Netherlands from the sea. They consist of a series of dams, sluices, locks, dikes, levees and storm surge barriers. These ‘old’ Delta Works solved many problems with water safety, but created some on the way as well. During this field trip, which takes you to the Museum of the big Flood Disaster in 1953. On location movies and experts tell you about past, present and future challenges in the area, such as the ’53 flood, sea level rise, drought and silting. 

2. Nature Overflow - Visit the National Park Biesbosch
Biesbosch National Park is one of the largest, valuable natural areas in the Netherlands and one of the few remaining fresh-water tidal areas in Europe. In addition you will visit Noordwaard, on the edge of the Biesbosch. To enable Dutch rivers to discharge increased amounts of water, parts of Noordwaard lend the rivers more room as overflow areas.

3. Taking Back the Land - Explore the ‘Maasvlakte 2.0’
Maasvlakte 2.0. is a part of the Netherlands were land is reclaimed from the sea.Here you find a new part of the Netherlands and a port under construction. In the 1800 square meters (1435 square yards) of the FutureLand Information Centre you can discover the many different aspects involved in the construction of a new port. After a visit to Futureland, you can experience the Maasvlakte 2.0 yourself.

4. Rotterdam Climate Proof Cruise - Boat trip Rotterdam and city ports
Rotterdam will be 100 percent climate proof in 2025. This field trip combines a visit to Rotterdam and the city ports. Sit back and relax as the boot takes you through the world of adaptation in Rotterdam. A guide tells you all there is to know about living outside the levee, about the city ports and its sustainability, and the floating pavilion. To top it off you’ll visit the RDM campus (sustainable student campus) in the old city ports.

5. Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier - Field trip to Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier
Keringhuis, an information centre about the Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier (Maeslantkering) will be visited. The  water management in the province of South-Holland will be explained. After the visit to the ‘Keringhuis’ which provides a fine view of the huge storm surge barrier, you will visit the barrier yourself.

6. Typically Dutch! - Take a look at the Dutch windmills at Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk is one of the most famous places to visit the Dutch windmills. Around 1740 no less than 19 sturdy mills were built here. To this day they have been well preserved. The mills drain the excess water from the Alblasserwaard polders - which are situated below sea-level - after which the water is sluiced into the river Lek (the Rijn). There will be time to admire the windmills and take an expert tour.

7. Sleep Safe below Sea Level – Improving coastal protection at Delfland
A well known fact about the Netherlands is that a big part of the country lies below sea level. At the lowest point (6.7 meters or 22 feet below sea level) the 40.000 brave citizens of the city of Zuidplas still sleep sound. But for how long? This field trip takes you to places of special interest along the coast: the dunes, coastal protection and for those who dare: the weak spots.

8. Testing, Testing! – Testing the levee facility Deltares
Deltares, an independent research institute about water and delta technology, hosts several impressive testing facilities such as the Delta flume which measures 240 meters (787 feet) in length and 7 meters (23 feet) in depth, the Scheldt basin which runs 3D-model tests and a geocentrifuge which measures effects on soil. This field trip takes you behind the scenes and possibly lets you peek in while clients have their equipment tested in the huge basins.

9. Coastal Protection by Mother Nature - Field trip Sea Tower
Build in the Second World War as part of the Atlantic Wall, German coastal fortifications, the Sea Tower (Zeetoren) has since functioned as a weather observation post and currently as a climate center and nature café. An expert will explain about the ambitious Province Zuid Holland/Ecoshape project which is called The Sandmotor. The general idea is to put millions of m3 of sand in front of the seashore near the village of Monster. Sea currents will then take over and will move the sand in unpredictable patterns along the coastline. The expectation is that large sand dunes will rise, which protect the coast but also offer shelter for rare plants and animals.

11. Two Wheels and Lots of Fresh air - Bike trip around Rotterdam
To say the Dutch are avid bikers is an understatement. The fact that there are more bikes than people in the Netherlands says it all. Join the Dutch for a beautiful bike ride in Rotterdam and admire the levees and coastal protection CO2-neutral and at a tranquil pace.

12. Visit the Mussels from Zealand – (electric) Bike trip to Yerseke aquaculture
This trip is a must for sea food lovers. Leave behind the hustle and bustle of Rotterdam for a few hours to visit the nurseries and trade places of mussels and other clams in Yerseke, in the province of Zealand. By (electric) bike you will visit businesses that cultivate the salt loving crop glasswort, marine worms, mussels and oysters. You will get a peek behind the scenes of production and research labs of these companies and research institutes and see some historic mussel plots as well.

13. Pumping to survive - Visit the contemporary descendent of the old Dutch windmill
A comprehensive excursion to the mainstay of Dutch watermanagement; the contemporary descendant of the old windmill.