When Wageningen turned into New Orleans for a night

It was an unexpected way to begin an academic challenge, and exactly the point. The Nature-based Future Challenge didn’t start with explanations or expectations, but with energy and a sense of shared momentum.

Why nature-based solutions can’t wait

Louisiana is losing land at an alarming rate. Every hour, rising seas, stronger storms, and disappearing wetlands are quite literally eating away at the coastline. Communities are at risk, wildlife habitats are shrinking, and the natural buffers that once protected the region are fading. This is one of the fastest rates of land loss in the world, and it won’t stop on its own.

That reality formed the backdrop of the challenge. Speakers joining online from Louisiana brought the urgency into the room, grounding the abstract idea of nature-based solutions in a place where the consequences of inaction are already visible. What’s at stake is not only land, but livelihoods, ecosystems, and long-term resilience.

Tim van Hattum, one of the Netherlands’ leading voices on nature-based solutions, built on that message by zooming out. Climate change and biodiversity loss, he argued, are not separate crises. They reinforce each other. Nature, therefore, is not a “nice to have”, but the foundation on which our societies and economies depend. Wetlands, soils, forests, and water systems are not just landscapes to protect, but active systems that can help store carbon, reduce risk, and build resilience, if we choose to work with them.

The takeaway was clear and practical: nature-based solutions are not about idealism or single fixes. They require long-term thinking, collaboration with local communities, and the courage to imagine futures beyond short-term solutions. And if we want those futures to look different, we need to start the conversation differently too.

A global room, even when not everyone was in it

While around 50 participants gathered in person in Wageningen, the challenge was global from the very first moment. Students joined online from across the world, from Brazil to Australia, Ethiopia to Indonesia, creating a shared space that extended far beyond the room itself.

In total, the Nature-based Future Challenge brings together 561 participants from 59 countries, representing 249 universities across six continents. The hybrid setup isn’t a limitation here. It mirrors the nature of the challenges themselves, rooted in local contexts but shared across the globe.

Choosing something beyond the curriculum

What draws students to a challenge that runs alongside already full study schedules? For many, it’s precisely what regular courses don’t always offer.

Carmen from team Alluvia, explained that her motivation came from a belief that our relationship with nature needs to change. “I really believe we need to start working with nature instead of against it,” she said. “This felt exciting, a chance to contribute to something that affects biodiversity, livelihoods, and so many people.”

What also stood out for her was the chance to work beyond familiar academic bubbles. “You meet people outside your own course or environment,” Carmen added. “Everyone here chooses to be here, and that says something about their ambition. I’m especially curious about learning how to work together with people from very different backgrounds.”

That diversity was exactly what attracted other participants as well. With backgrounds ranging from biology to engineering and beyond, the challenge creates space for learning across disciplines. For many, it’s an opportunity to connect micro-level knowledge with big-picture environmental challenges, and to learn from each other along the way.

A beginning that sets the tone

The kick-off marked the official start of the Nature-based Future Challenge, and the moment to roll up sleeves and get to work. With the first studio sessions already underway, the teams are beginning to explore the Mississippi Delta in depth, test ideas, and translate broad ambitions into concrete directions.

That process is strengthened by the ecosystem around the challenge. A wide network of partners brings in expertise, context, and long-term perspective, supporting students not only during the challenge, but also in what comes after. With the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and the University Fund Wageningen as main partners, participants have access to knowledge and guidance that helps bridge the gap between vision and practice.

The Nature-based Future Challenge has officially begun. What comes next is the most interesting part: seeing how students turn questions into ideas, and ideas into action.