Patrick Meire
Patrick Meire is professor in biology and head of the research group Ecosystem Management (ECOBE) at the University of Antwerp, Belgium. His research focusses on the environmental impact of human activities on aquatic and wetland systems and these insights are used to develop concepts for integrated water management and ecosystem management. In the Scheldt estuary he coordinates the OMES project that studies the environmental impact of the Sigma Plan (management plan for the Flemish part of the Scheldt estuary with a focus on safety, navigation and nature). He obtained his PhD in biology from the University of Ghent, Belgium.
Articles By Patrick Meire
The Smartsediment tool: a QGIS plug-in for evaluating ecosystems services
Managing sediments, especially from dredging, is important for the management of estuaries and coastal areas. When implemented in the right way, a sediment management strategy can be qualified as a nature-based solution as it uses the physical processes of erosion and sedimentation to create added value. There is a need for an evaluation of sediment strategies and the habitats that are created for a wider range of objectives than only biodiversity and nature conservation. The concept of ecosystem services provides this broader framework.
Ecosystem services assessment of the Prins Hendrik Zanddijk
This study examines which and, if possible, how much more ecosystem services are provided by the most recent nature inspired coastal protection project Prins Hendrik Zanddijk, in comparison with a traditional concrete and asphalt construction.
Interview Patrick Meire – ‘We must try to use the best of the science to manage the environment.’
Ecologist Patrick Meire has been researching the Scheldt for decades in the hope of implementing solutions which undo the damage caused by humans, industry and natural processes.
Towards Sustainable Port Development
An ecosystem services assessment of Port Botany’s expansion identifies the project’s economic, environmental and socio-economic impacts for a universal stakeholder guide which ensures sustainable development.
Ecosystem Services: Towards Integrated Maritime Infrastructure Project Assessments
A case study of a tidal marsh restoration project at the Polders of Kruibeke in Belgium shows how an Ecosystem Services assessment can reveal otherwise hidden benefits.