Amsterdam, Netherlands – August 30, 2026
The 2026 World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam became more than a world-class sporting event. Through In Balance With Nature 2.0, World Rowing used the Championships as a living case study to explore how international sporting events can better understand, protect and enhance biodiversity while creating meaningful local legacy benefits.
Building on the successful pilot first tested at the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in Trakai, Lithuania, the Amsterdam project represented the second phase of World Rowing’s journey towards nature-positive event delivery. Hosted at the Bosbaan within the biodiversity-rich Amsterdamse Bos, the pilot brought together sport organisers, environmental experts, researchers, local authorities and community partners to assess the relationship between the Championships and the surrounding natural environment.
Delivered in partnership with bloomUp through the World Rowing-WWF Healthy Waters Alliance, the project applied the bloomUp Biodiversity Compass to evaluate biodiversity performance across four key pillars: Wildlife & Habitat, Ecosystem Vitality, Engagement & Awareness, and Natural Resource Stewardship. The pilot assessed both direct and indirect event impacts while identifying opportunities to create positive outcomes for nature rather than simply reducing harm.
A key strength of the Amsterdam pilot was its emphasis on collaboration. Local knowledge from Amsterdamse Bos management was combined with scientific expertise, stakeholder workshops, field observations, interviews and surveys to create a comprehensive understanding of biodiversity opportunities and challenges surrounding the venue.
The project also involved contributions from Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, IUCN Netherlands, the Amsterdam 2026 Organising Committee and other local partners.
Beyond assessment and data collection, In Balance With Nature 2.0 translated biodiversity into visible and engaging experiences for athletes, spectators, media and event stakeholders. A guided nature walk, hosted in collaboration with Amsterdamse Bos, showcased local restoration projects and highlighted initiatives including wild bee habitats, ecological restoration areas, shoreline vegetation improvements and biodiversity-sensitive infrastructure management around the Bosbaan.
Championship participants were also invited to take part in BioBlitz 2.0, a citizen science initiative encouraging athletes, spectators, volunteers and local residents to record and identify species within the Amsterdamse Bos. The initiative helped raise awareness of local biodiversity while generating valuable observations and strengthening people’s connection with nature through sport
Importantly, the pilot was designed with legacy in mind. The project aimed not only to understand biodiversity impacts during one event, but also to develop a practical and science-based model that can be replicated across future World Rowing events in different countries, venue types and ecosystems. The findings from Amsterdam will contribute to future guidance for event organisers and demonstrate how biodiversity considerations can be integrated into event planning, operations, communications and legacy strategies.
The project also strengthened collaboration between sport and environmental organisations, creating opportunities to support ongoing restoration efforts within the Amsterdamse Bos and broader Bosbaan area. Through stakeholder engagement, biodiversity awareness activities and local partnerships, the Championships helped showcase how sporting events can contribute to wider environmental objectives while enhancing the experience for participants and communities.
As World Rowing continues its sustainability journey, In Balance With Nature 2.0 demonstrates that the legacy of a sporting event can extend far beyond competition. By bringing together athletes, organisers, conservation experts and local communities, Amsterdam 2026 showed that sport and nature can thrive together, creating healthier ecosystems, stronger partnerships and a more sustainable future for rowing events worldwide
