We hope you will join us for the CONTRA final conference “Converting beach wrack into a ressource and asset – towards sustainable solutions for beach wrack use“, 1-2 June 2021.
Registration closed*
*contact: contra@rem-consult.eu
Ecologists, entrepreneurs, beach managers, policy makers and other partners from Germany, Poland, Sweden, Estonia, Russia and Denmark will showcase beach wrack management, reuse and recycling options recently implemented in the Baltic Sea Region and give guidance and recommendations towards the implementation of sustainable solutions. Besides environmental aspects of beach wrack, its handling and potential to e.g. mitigate climate change or improve coastal protection, CONTRA informs about technical and business-oriented solutions.
With an interactive panel discussion, breakout sessions with researchers and implementers, and a matchmaking session, the conference will also be a vivid platform for exchange on challenges, innovative ideas and future cooperation in the field of blue bioeconomy.
Additionally, you will get the chance to actively expand your network for new and improved collaborations – an online market place will provide you with brief summaries about products, services and project ideas.
Video greetings from Hendrik Schubert, University of Rostock (CONTRA Lead-Partner)
Agenda (click here for a PDF version)
Day 1 |1 June 2021 (09:00 – 12:30 CET)
8:45 Arrival & Technical Setup
9:00 Session #1 – Opening / Debate
Following the introduction into the CONTRA project’s scope and aim by Hendrik Schubert, University of Rostock (CONTRA Lead-Partner), session one will set the scene and showcase different perspectives on what „sustainable” means when it comes to beach wrack management and use. CONTRA partners will debate the existing and diverse challenges associated with beach wrack and the potential to convert it into a resource and asset.
9:55 Session #2 – Beach wrack as a resource
Following video greetings from HELCOM by Rüdiger Strempel, Executive Secretary, a key note on „Natural life cycle of beach wrack“ by Tiia Möller (University of Tartu, EE), Cintia Organo Quintana (University of Denmark, DK), Jacek Bełdowski and Lech Kotwicki (The Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, PL) will provide the scientific basis for beach wrack management. The focus will be on ecological aspects and challenges to develop sustainable beach wrack management solutions. General information on the amount and composition will be provided, as well as the formation and decomposition of beach wrack and the impact of beach cleaning techniques on nutrient and soil formation.
10:40 Coffee break
11:00 Session #3 – Environmental Aspects of Beach Wrack Management
CONTRA partners and external speakers will showcase sustainable solutions for beach wrack use and management. A common goal of the solutions is to pursue environmental-oriented approaches such as coastal protection or climate change adaptation. Q&A Sessions with presenters in parallel breakout rooms will provide you with the chance to gain detailed information of presented solutions:
WRACOVER – building landfill biocovers out of beach wrack to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions – Køge Municipality, DK, Sara Hillbom Guizani
WRACK4COAST – using beach wrack for dune restoration for coastal protection – Atlantic Branch of Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Kaliningrad, RU
FERTIWRACK – use of reed bed systems for integrated treatment of beach wrack for the production of soil conditioner/fertilizer – Gdańsk University of Technology, PL, Magdalena Gajewska
Beach wrack and the issue of methane release – University of Southern Denmark, DK, Cintia Organo Quintana
External presentations:
COASTAL Biogas – use of cast seaweed to mitigate eutrophication – Baltic Energy Innovation Centre, SE, Jörgen Held
12:10 Meeting wrap-up and appetizer for day 2
12:30 End of day 1
Day 2 |2 June 2021 (09:00 – 14:45 CET)
8:45 Arrival & Technical Setup
9:00 Session #4 – Value chains of Beach Wrack Management
After an impulse talk from Jens Almqvist (Krinova Science Park, SE) on economic aspects of beach wrack management and use, CONTRA partners and external speakers will showcase sustainable solutions for beach wrack use and management with an entrepreneurial focus. Q&A Sessions with presenters in parallel breakout rooms will provide you the chance to gain detailed information of presented solutions:
WRACK4SOIL – using beach wrack for the production of compost and soil – Hanseatische Umwelt GmbH, DE, Steffen Aldag
BEACH WRACK CONVERSION– process chain of converting beach wrack into carbon-neutral biochar – KS-VTCtech, DE, Timo Garrels
ALREA – guideline for the production of soil amendment (biochar and gasification syngas) and energy recovery out of beach wrack – Linnaeus University, SE, William Hogland
External presentations:
EST-AGAR AS – Extraction of furcelleran from seaweed for food manufacturing, Est-Agar AS, EE, Urmas Pau
COASTGRASS – Using natural fibers i.e. beach wrack and biodegradable plastic for the production of sustainable packaging material, Coastgrass, DK, Malthe Timmermann Larsen
After the Q&A Sessions, Jens Almqvist (Krinova Science Park, SE) will giva a talk about transferable business models for beach wrack management.
10:20 Coffee break
10:35 Session #5 – Fishbowl discussion: Beach wrack management challenges
Discuss with CONTRA partners, policy-makers and other stakeholders challenges and obstacles of beach wrack management, the market potential of beach wrack based products or relevant policy frameworks.
11:35 Session #6 – A look into the future
The CONTRA Lead partner will look into the future of beach wrack use and management, the main challenges but also the potential to convert beach wrack into a resource and asset. Recommendations for (policy) actions out of the CONTRA project will give guidance to municipalities, entrepreneurs and other practitioners and stakeholders active in the field of beach wrack, it’s use and management.
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Beach Wrack Network and Matchmaking – The future starts now!
While the CONTRA project ends, the Beach Wrack Network we created will live on and provide further opportunities for collaboration in beach wrack management, research and business opportunities. Jane Hofmann (EUCC – The Coastal Union Germany) will introduce you to the Beach Wrack Network, and you will learn about future funding possibilities of relevant funding programmes.
In addition, you will get the chance to actively expand your network for new and improved collaborations during a dedicated matchmaking session*. After short pitches of services, products and project ideas, Q&A session with presenters will give you the opportunity to get more information, raise questions and exchange contacts.
An online market place will provide you with brief information about services, products and project ideas that will be presented during the matchmaking session.
COASTGRASS, DK – Biodegradable packaging material containing eelgrass
LINNAEUS University, SE – Unmanaged beaches from a climate & land-marine use perspective
STAEMMLER-Erden, DE – Soil and compost based on marine biomass
BRAINBOTICS, DK – Sustainable algae collection using autonomous robots
ISOMORPH srl, IT – Solar heat for transforming beach wrack to solar carbon + Gasifier for beach wrack
AQUAZOSTA® MB Marine Plant Biotechnology, DE – The AQUAZOSTA® Value Chain – Bioeconomy with unique marine flowering plants, especially eelgrass Zostera marina L. from the Baltic Sea
SUBMARINER Network for Blue Growth EEIG, DE – innovative and sustainable uses of marine resources in the Baltic Sea Region and beyond
14:45 End of day 2 and the conference
