The 53rd Annual Conference of the German Ecological Society (GfÖ) took place from 9-13 September 2024 in Freising, Germany. With the conference theme changing annually, this year's focus was on “The Future of Sustainable Land Use Across Ecosystems, Landscapes, and Biomes,” bringing together scientists and practitioners to explore innovative solutions.

Over five days, more than 700 participants, including experts in ecology, biodiversity, and environmental pollution, early career researchers and students, gathered to exchange insights on advancing ecological understanding and enhancing sustainable land use strategies.

SpongeBoost was showcased at an exhibition stand shared with the EU projects REST-COAST and SELINA projects at the conference. The project focuses on identifying effective ways to enhance or restore landscapes’ natural water retention capacity through nature-based solutions.

The exhibition stand featured a variety of materials for all three projects, with SpongeBoost highlighted through its project brochures, stickers, and a roll-up banner. Attendees were welcomed by the communication and dissemination leaders from Pensoft, who offered detailed information about SpongeBoost’s objectives and strategies while facilitating discussions with participants.

If you missed the live updates during the event, you can catch up by following #GfÖ2024.