Beverage producer Suntory (known for brands such as Schweppes, Orangina and Oasis) and Natuurpunt have announced a new partnership in the Grote Netewoud (Flanders, Belgium) as part of the Interreg NWE project BUFFER+. Together, they invest in wetland and peatland restoration to retain water in the landscape and help ecosystems recover.
Protecting water for nature and business
Both partners share the same goal: caring for water. For Natuurpunt, water-rich nature is key in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. For Suntory, it is an essential resource for production. Through BUFFER+, Suntory contributes to rewetting peatlands in the Grote Netewoud and in De Kevie (Tongeren), helping restore natural water systems and biodiversity.
“Restoring our wetlands is crucial in fighting drought and climate change. It’s encouraging to see companies like Suntory take shared responsibility for our environment,” - Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister for Environment and Agriculture
Giving water back to nature
Hidden beneath the Grote Netewoud lies ancient peat: a natural sponge that stores water and CO₂. When peat dries, it releases greenhouse gases, making its rewetting vital. New monitoring wells now help track how restoration keeps these peat layers wet, some dating back nearly 2,000 years.
Natuurpunt will also develop an educational programme for schools and visitors, focused on water as the foundation of life.
Investing in resilient ecosystems
Large-scale nature restoration can only succeed through collaboration between governments, nature organisations and businesses. By joining forces, Natuurpunt and Suntory demonstrate that investing in nature is not a cost but a shared investment in the future by strengthening biodiversity, improving water management and supporting local communities.
For Suntory, the partnership builds on more than twenty years of global commitment to protect and restore water ecosystems through 35 Water Sanctuary projects worldwide. This collaboration in Belgium reflects that long-term dedication to sustainable water management and reinforces Suntory’s ambition to safeguard this vital resource for generations to come.
Read the original article by Christof De Hertogh here (in Dutch).