Waardenburg Ecology

Waardenburg Ecology was listed as an implementing partner in the Ecoscour pilot at the Borssele Offshore Wind Farm (Site V), which trialled eco-friendly scour protection designs intended to both protect turbine foundations against seabed erosion and enhance local marine biodiversity. The pilot formed part of Borssele V’s function as a Dutch offshore wind innovation plot. As part of the multi-organisation programme, Waardenburg Ecology contributed ecological expertise to the planning and delivery of habitat-focused scour protection and oyster-related measures, including monitoring of benthic community development associated with alternative scour rock materials and added structures intended to promote oyster settlement and reef initiation. The monitoring approach involved repeated assessment of installed structures and associated fauna, combining offshore sampling activities with observational methods to evaluate colonisation, survival, and the ecological performance of different design variants over time. This work helped test practical “nature-inclusive design” options that can be integrated into standard offshore wind foundation protection scopes. The pilot was described as running over multiple years, with monitoring continuing and lessons learned being shared via scientific outputs. Waardenburg Ecology’s involvement supported the project’s goal of producing transferable guidance on how scour protection choices can influence habitat creation and ecosystem restoration potential in offshore wind farm settings.