Ecowende Tree Reefs and Oyster Hubs
Van Oord and Ecowende have signed a contract for the design, construction and installation of Tree Reefs and Oyster Hubs at Ecowende’s Hollandse Kust West wind farm (HKW, site VI). Implemented by Van Oord Ocean Health, these innovative methods aim to naturally enhance biodiversity in the North Sea. The contract marks a significant milestone, as it is the first time Tree Reefs will be implemented on such a large scale in the North Sea.
24 February 2025
Tree Reefs are circular, biodegradable reef structures made from discarded fruit trees, which are relatively sturdy and stable. The trees will be collected from the Dutch fruit cultivation sector and are usually cleared as soon as they start producing less fruit.
The Tree Reef concept was developed by the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ). NIOZ’s pilot in the Wadden Sea showed that the complex structure of fruit trees can offer marine life a highly valuable habitat. A large North Sea Tree Reef is expected to create habitats for even more benthic and fish species, enhancing local biodiversity.
Van Oord and Ecowende will also collaborate on constructing Oyster Hubs at the wind farm. This ecological innovation was developed in collaboration with Waardenburg Ecology. The hubs consist of adult oysters of varying sizes placed on designated cable crossings to serve as a source of oyster larvae. The wind farm will function as a connection site, stimulating larval distribution to otherwise isolated locations (e.g. oyster grounds) and facilitating the colonisation of new areas. Van Oord has already installed Oyster Hubs successfully at multiple offshore wind farms, such as Borssele 1 and 2 and Luchterduinen.
