In early September, our working group gathered for a three-day retreat in Rheine. On the way there, we stopped in Marl for an excursion to a restored section of the Lippe River. In addition to observing a kingfisher, an osprey and the caterpillar of the willow borer, this area provided plenty of opportunities to discuss river restoration measures and the potential return of beavers to this area of the Lippe.

On the second day of our retreat, we had plenty of time to reflect on the past year and our future collaboration. The program also included workshops on mental health in academia and on supervision of postdocs, doctoral candidates, and students. In the evening, we toured Rheine’s old town in light rain.

On the last day, following a workshop on publication strategies, we visited the Üfter Mark on the border between Wesel and Recklinghausen. Lina Marie Birwe and Oliver König from RVR Ruhr Grün guided us through the “Witte Berge und Deutener Moore” nature reserve. During the tour, they showed us the results of restoring an inland dune. This measure was carried out as part of the integrated LIFE project “Atlantic Sand Landscapes.” The rest of the excursion focused on species specialized to sandy open landscapes, such as the sand lizard, the nightjar, and Jasione montana. We were given a demonstration of the diverse measures the RVR is taking in the Üfter Mark to connect the open habitats within the biotope network, as well as the threat posed by the invasive black cherry.

We concluded our retreat with new insights and potential ideas for future research projects.