Ongoing

The EC LIFE programme’s co-financed project aims to restore the hydrological system in the Middle Basin of the Biebrza Valley to support the conservation of water-dependent habitats and open marshland bird species. It focuses on controlled water management and re-irrigation to halt the degradation of peatlands within the water system of the Rudzki Canal, Ełk River, Jegrznia River, and Woźnawiejski Canal. Key measures include constructing water retention infrastructure to maintain wetland conditions, especially during dry years.

Phase I (LIFE09, completed in 2016) included redirection of water flows, construction of barrages and thresholds, partial riverbed restoration, land acquisition, and mowing of overgrown areas across 9,000 ha. Phase II (LIFE13) is ongoing and expands interventions to an additional 13,452 ha, aiming to further restore wetland hydrology while maintaining agricultural and tourism use.

Recent works include the construction of a new hydrological junction at Modzelówka, designed to direct approximately 80% of the Kuwaski Canal's flow toward the Rudzki Canal and 20% to the reactivated Ełk riverbed. In 2023, a high-durability PE-HD siphon system was installed to support this redistribution, designed for minimal ecological impact. These efforts have already shown benefits such as improved groundwater retention, reduced fire risk, and better conditions for both biodiversity and local agriculture. Full implementation of Phase II is expected by 2026–2027.

This is a traditional practice in the Baixo Vouga Lagunar Area (Aveiro District, Vouga River Estuary, Portugal), since 19th century in order to protect BVL from the tidal floods. Baixo Vouga Lagunar represents a man-shaped landscape working in a dependent relationship between agricultural activities, wildlife and water regulation. BVL includes three main landscape units: bocage (smallholdings bounded by living-hedges and water ditches supplying water for crop and livestock production and also assure the drainage when there is water in excess in the fields), wetlands and open-fields.
In recent years, BVL has become a living lab for climate adaptation and resilience strategies, studied through projects such as ADAPT-MED and Man and Nature in the BVL. Local stakeholders recognize the protective role of tidal defense structures, though awareness of climate impacts remains limited. Efforts continue to promote synergies between nature conservation, agriculture and water management. The area is part of the Ria de Aveiro Natura 2000 site and hosts over 170 bird species, reinforcing its ecological value within a multifunctional landscape.

In the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the ARBDD pursued ecological restoration by reconnecting the former Holbina–Dunavăț fish-farm basins to surrounding wetlands through breaches in the ring dikes, restoring natural hydrological exchange. The 5,630-ha complex was investigated from 1994, with works implemented in 2003–2004, and the project is recorded as complete. Post-restoration monitoring by the Danube Delta National Institute (2016–2017) in the Holbina 1 sector reported 25 fish species and a natural fish productivity of ~159 kg/ha/yr, indicating recovery of aquatic habitats. Today these areas are administered within the Biosphere Reserve and continue to appear in ARBDD annual activity reports (e.g., Holbina I, Holbina II, Dunavăț III). Socio-economic use has shifted towards regulated ecotourism and catch-and-release recreational fishing (e.g., Holbina – 3 Bibani), alongside traditional activities. Overall, the project has re-established wetland habitats, breeding grounds for fish and waterbird, and a sustainable local economy based on nature-compatible use.

The LIVEDRAVA project, funded by the LIFE programme, transformed 61 ha of former wastewater basins at the Ormož sugar factory into semi-natural wetlands on the Drava River in eastern Slovenia. Since 2017 the site has been legally designated as the Ormož Lagoons Nature Reserve (≈66 ha) and is managed by DOPPS–BirdLife Slovenia under an operational management plan. Management focuses on dynamic water-level control and conservation grazing with water buffalo to maintain open reedbeds and wet meadows. Visitor facilities now include several bird hides built from shipping containers and an educational trail; in 2023 an interpretation centre within the regional “Drava Natura 2000” initiative opened in Ormož. Post-LIFE actions have consolidated the site, including the purchase of adjacent land (1.09 ha) and restoration of additional species-rich grasslands in 2022–2023. The reserve lies within the Mura-Drava-Danube UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and has become an important hub for migratory and breeding wetland species.

Soumarský Most (Šumava NP) is a raised bog once almost destroyed by industrial peat mining. In 2004, the park and local authorities restored the site with national funding, re-establishing wetland and peat-forming vegetation and improving the water regime; hydrology and vegetation were monitored from 2000–2011. Soumarský Most is the first former industrial restored bog in the Sumava region. Since then, outcomes are visible on the ground: a 1.5-km nature trail opened in 2012 to interpret the restoration, and in 2022 the boardwalk had to be rebuilt as groundwater has steadily risen for nearly two decades : evidence the rewetting is functioning. In June 2025 the wooden lookout tower was closed for safety and is being redesigned; the trail remains open. Biodiversity has responded: 371 moth and butterfly species were documented in 2011–2016, including bog specialists recolonising from nearby peatlands. Community involvement continues, e.g., volunteers built peat dams on drainage channels in 2019 to further raise water levels. Overall, Soumarský Most shows lasting hydrological recovery and conservation benefits following peatland restoration.

DANUBE FORESTS, coordinated by BROZ and funded by the LIFE programme, preserves the remaining floodplain forests of the Slovak Danube inland delta and introduces sound, sustainable forest management. Since then, a wider EU-LIFE effort has reconnected side-arms and restored wetlands while agreeing a new operational water regime: over 75 ha of wetlands and 18.5 km of tributaries have been brought back to life, supported by an operational manual that integrates Natura 2000 needs into water-management decisions.

Controlled “simulated floods” are now released via the Dobrohošť inlet, with flows up to 120 m³/s tested in 2023 and implemented again in spring 2024 to refresh the inland delta. In 2024 the Vojčianske side arm was reopened and in 2025 the Foki arm in the old Danube bed was restored, improving connectivity, habitats and local water retention. Further actions continue under Dynamic LIFE Lines Danube (AT–SK) and LIFE RESISTANCE, which also tackles invasive plants. Several areas proposed by DANUBE FORESTS have since been formally protected (e.g., Foráš PR, Pečniansky les protected area, Ostrovné lúčky).

The Babina polder (~2,100 ha) was reconnected to the Danube in 1994, with recovery monitored by the Danube Delta National Institute. Within a few years, site-specific biodiversity redeveloped and ecosystem services such as nutrient retention and fish recruitment became evident; the reopened polder also supports reed harvesting, grazing, fishing and ecotourism.
Recent evidence shows how the system has evolved after three decades: remote-sensing analysis in the Matița–Merhei complex (including Babina Lake) detected a decline in open-water area between 2006 and 2018 (−13.4% at Babina) alongside expansion of aquatic vegetation, indicating sedimentation and succession.
In 2022, the reserve authority and DDNI implemented dredging of key links (Babina–Matița and Babina South–Ocolitor Pardina) to improve hydraulic connectivity.
Ongoing biological monitoring includes fish surveys that sampled Babina and Merhei lakes in 2016, underscoring the role of the restored complex for recruitment and fisheries.
Overall, Babina remains a flagship deltaic restoration now managed adaptively to sustain connectivity and habitat mosaics.

Domestic rainwater harvesting in Malta is the long-running Alter Aqua programme. Launched in 2011 in Gozo by GWP-Med with national partners, Alter Aqua installed and reinstated RWH in public buildings - first four Gozo schools for toilet flushing, plus additional school and farm systems - and a greywater unit at Gozo Stadium; it then expanded to Malta. By late 2024 the programme restored historic cisterns (e.g., Birgu) and launched a Reservoir Trail. In 2025 the new “Alter Aqua RECAP” phase adds a focus on domestic greywater recycling. EWA reports the programme now replenishes ~20 million L/year.
Malta’s policy context is distinctive: all buildings must incorporate a rainwater cistern, with sizing/drainage rules in Technical Document F; the 2024 Green Stormwater Infrastructure Manual links building guidance to practical use. A national Domestic Cisterns Restoration Scheme administered by the regulator (REWS) supports household upgrades and has been extended to 31 Dec 2025.
Overall, Malta pairs a deep cistern heritage with modern retrofits, incentives and education ; making RWH effective for non-potable uses and strengthening water resilience on a scarce island setting.

Since 1992, the city of Heilbronn (Germany) has implemented a field margin programme to reduce erosion, improve water infiltration, and promote biodiversity in the agricultural landscape. Farmers receive compensation for yield losses and maintenance work. The programme includes various strip types, such as grasslands, hedgerows, and orchard rows, planned according to local soil and biodiversity maps. Recent efforts highlight synergies with education (school orchards), pollinator protection, and landscape aesthetics. The initiative is embedded in the city’s ecological corridor strategy and contributes to soil, water, and habitat conservation.

So far, it has been found that the field margins have a significant positive impact on soil erosion and species composition. The partridge protection strips in particular have had a positive effect on the partridge population.

The project has grown over the last 30 years in terms of area and number of contractual partners. Although some contractual partners withdrew a few years ago, the area has not changed significantly. New applications for new areas are still recieved.

WETREST (LIFE05 NAT/SK/000112) in the Záhorie Lowland (western Slovakia) focused on wetland restoration and public awareness, funded by the LIFE programme together with the Ministry of Environment. Implemented by the State Nature Conservancy with SVP and BROZ (2005–2008), it improved hydrology across eight Natura 2000 sites. A fish pass was built on the Rudava at Veľké Leváre to re-establish fish migration.
Since then, restoration has continued: in 2022 BROZ and partners re-naturalised ~2.2 km of the lower Rudava near Veľké Leváre under the Interreg Alpine–Carpathian River Corridor, removing concrete lining and re-meandering the channel; the river became ~180 m longer, with works completed on 22 Sept 2022.
New actions under LIFE-IP Natura 2000 SK (2024–2025) will block ~10 km of drainage ditches with 366 small dams, create ~10 ha of wetlands, and repair two sluices in the Rudava and Kaltenbruk sites to retain water and support priority species. Complementary efforts in the Morava floodplain near Malé Leváre (2022–2024), led by Green Foundation with BROZ and NINA, targeted the restoration of at least 210,000 m² of degraded wetlands and awareness-raising.