Completed

The restoration of the Kuresoo bog aimed to re-establish the natural water regime and typical bog vegetation in a severely drained area within Soomaa National Park, Estonia. Restoration was implemented on a pilot area of approximately 60 ha, where ditches were blocked with peat dams, brushwood and plastic piling. The area had been drained in the 1950s for peat extraction and forestry, resulting in significant degradation of the bog ecosystem.

Monitoring indicates that water levels have been successfully raised, resulting in the development of typical bog vegetation such as sparse pine cover and Sphagnum moss. These changes help reduce carbon emissions from the formerly degraded peat soil and support biodiversity conservation.

Recent sources confirm that over 1,000 dams were built across ~3,000 ha of degraded peatlands at Kuresoo as part of broader national efforts under the LIFE Mires Estonia project (2015–2021). Restoration planning employed drone-based LiDAR surveys and hydrological modelling, while fieldwork included local volunteers and national institutions. Long-term monitoring confirms a stable rise in water levels, recovery of bog vegetation, and return of protected bird species. Some initial restoration structures required corrective work to improve hydrological effectiveness.

As of 2023, the Kuresoo bog restoration is recognized as a national best practice example and has contributed significantly to Estonia’s peatland restoration targets, particularly within Natura 2000 habitats. The site continues to be managed by RMK, with ecological monitoring by the University of Tartu and ELF.

The main objective of the project is to conserve the biodiversity, the natural habitats, the wild species of flora and fauna and to assure an efficient management of protected natural areas, in particular, management of the ecological network Natura 2000 through reconstruction of Comana Wetland within Giurgiu County.
Comana Wetland restoration (2009–2011) in Comana Natural Park (Giurgiu County) built a small dam with sluice on the Neajlov and a fish pass, raised and stabilised water levels (~490 ha), set up ecological monitoring and visitor infrastructure, and supported Natura 2000 management and biodiversity gains. Since then, management has been updated: the park’s management plan was approved by ministerial order in May 2022. Navigation on Balta Comana/“Neajlov Delta” is now regulated (county regulation in 2022 and a national order in Feb 2024). The county also initiated a concept for a second restoration phase (“REBACO 2”, 2021) and launched feasibility/design steps. Recent monitoring and studies include a 2021 water-quality survey and analyses of ichthyofauna dynamics. In 2024, an exceptional drought led to near-complete drying of Balta Comana with short-term ecological and tourism impacts reported; local environmental press noted a return of water after autumn–winter rains in January 2025. These developments underline the need for continued maintenance of hydraulic works and adaptive, drought-resilient management.

Ecological flooding has been implemented in a polder area near Altenheim, Germany, as part of the Integrated Rhine Programme (IRP). Covering approximately 520 hectares, the Altenheim polders serve a dual function: ecological enhancement and flood retention, with a capacity of up to 17.6 million m³. Since 2001, controlled ecological flooding is triggered when the Rhine’s flow exceeds 1550 m³/s, with infrastructure allowing flows up to 80 m³/s. This approach has significantly improved biodiversity, groundwater dynamics, and habitat conditions.

The project also created recreational opportunities and enhanced landscape connectivity. However, challenges arose related to forest adaptation (notably shifts in tree species), mosquito proliferation, and groundwater level management. In response, new measures were introduced—including permanent swing barriers (installed in 2021) to protect wildlife during floods, and coordinated post-flood clean-ups involving local authorities and forestry services.

Recent evaluations confirm ongoing positive ecological effects, including increased amphibian, fish, and mammal presence. Regular maintenance and monitoring are coordinated by the Regional Council (Regierungspräsidium Freiburg), ensuring the multifunctional goals of flood protection, ecological restoration, and local engagement are maintained.

Hermance is a French–Swiss transboundary river. Since 2006, within a cross-border river programme led by SYMASOL with support from the Canton of Geneva, restoration has re-meandered the channel, widened the mouth, renaturalised the bed and banks, replanted riparian vegetation, and used the Mermes marsh as flood-storage via a retention pond ; reducing flood risk for ~100 homes and reconnecting people to their river with a riverside path (opened in 2017). More recent records show the programme extended in phases through 2016–2017, reaching ~3 km of restored river in Veigy-Foncenex, with a total budget reported at €2.5 M (excl. tax). Cross-border works included the 2010 renaturation of the Pont-Neuf–Pont-des-Golettes reach and the 2011 revitalisation of the river mouth. Complementary lacustrine actions created/reinforced reedbeds on the French shore at Chens-sur-Léman (2012, 2016). Flood-risk management was strengthened upstream by a ~12,000 m³ flood-retention basin. Ongoing follow-up includes a 2021 hydrological/hydraulic review of the Hermance dams in Veigy-Foncenex to check performance and safety. Overall, the project combines flood protection, ecological recovery and public amenity at a transboundary scale.

The project aimed to create suitable conditions for protecting and conserving species and habitats at Lake Cerknica, Slovenia’s largest intermittent lake, while promoting sustainable agriculture, forestry, fishing, tourism, recreation, and education in harmony with natural values. Coordinated by Notranjska Regional Park with the Biotechnical Faculty, the Municipality, and Inženiring za vode d.o.o., it was funded by the LIFE programme.

Following the initial actions (2007–2009) – including land purchase, riverbed restoration, and wet grassland management – successive LIFE projects have continued and expanded this work. LIFE STRŽEN (2017–2023) restored over 2 km of the Stržen riverbed, improved hydrological conditions over 60 ha, enhanced habitats for priority bird species such as the bittern, and reduced tourism pressures. The ongoing LIFE TRŠCA (2023–2029) focuses on managing marsh habitats for waterfowl, adapting mowing regimes, removing excess biomass, reducing disturbance, and introducing innovative biomass use. Recent monitoring combines field surveys and satellite imagery to track water levels and reedbed dynamics, ensuring long-term ecological resilience and adaptive management of this Natura 2000 site.

The project applied an eco-remediation methodology at the Dobrava landfill (Municipality of Ormož, Slovenia) in the Pannonian lowlands. It aimed to demonstrate a green technology that reduces landfill impacts through a closed hydrological and pollution cycle, complementing and exceeding legislation. The Limnotop approach combines a dense, high-evapotranspiration woodland cover as a water barrier with recirculation and a constructed wetland for leachate treatment, to protect surface and groundwater.

Since project completion, the landfill has been permanently closed to additional landfilling and reconstructed; the constructed wetland remains in operation for leachate treatment (as confirmed by site managers). Post-LIFE, the site has been under operational monitoring by the authorities. In 2019 the environmental permit required additional leachate treatment, and a 2020 municipal plan considered routing leachate to the Ormož wastewater treatment plant to complement the wetland. A separate collection/transfer center now operates adjacent to the closed landfill. Overall, the case shows long-term use of nature-based treatment integrated with closure works, with upgrades pursued to meet current standards.

“La Conchuela” is a commercial olive orchard located about 10 km west of Córdoba, Andalusia, near the A-431 road. Over seven years, it served as a long-term experimental site to assess alternative soil management practices (specifically no-tillage and temporary spontaneous cover crops) to reduce soil erosion and runoff. Results showed that these practices significantly improved soil moisture retention, reduced erosion, and enhanced biodiversity, without compromising yields.

More recent studies confirm and expand these findings. Spontaneous cover crops have been shown to enhance carbon sequestration (up to 642 kg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), nutrient retention (N, P, K), and support vegetation diversity. Ongoing research highlights their contribution to maintaining soil organic carbon and resilience under drought conditions, which are increasingly frequent in the Guadalquivir basin. The site is also referenced in broader Andalusian initiatives promoting regenerative olive farming, including the Living Lab Andaluz launched in 2024 to monitor soil health across olive groves in the region.

This case illustrates the long-term viability and scalability of green cover and no-tillage practices in Mediterranean tree crops, especially on rolling terrain vulnerable to erosion.

The project focuses on post-fire water retention management in the broader area of Ancient Olympia, Elia, Peloponnese, Greece. It involves afforestation of mountainous areas and the temporary installation of wooden structures using locally available timber to retain water, stabilize slopes, and reduce erosion. These natural measures aim primarily at flood control and risk mitigation, with secondary benefits for biodiversity conservation.

Recent scientific studies (2022–2025) have confirmed the effectiveness of these interventions. Field measurements showed that post-fire treatments in Olympia significantly improved soil infiltration capacity, up to 300% higher in deposition zones compared to eroded ones two years after implementation. Satellite-based erosion models (using Sentinel-2 and RUSLE) also indicated a sharp increase in soil erosion after wildfires, which was partly mitigated by restoration works that reduced erosion rates by approximately 18%. These findings demonstrate the long-term hydrological benefits of such nature-based solutions under Mediterranean conditions.

Key success factors remain the strong engagement of decision-makers, the willingness of local stakeholders, positive public perception, and the availability of expert knowledge and tools. The project is an example of adaptive, evidence-based post-fire watershed management in a culturally and environmentally sensitive region.

The Körös-ér catchment lies in a drought-prone part of Hungary and is a heavily modified water body with nutrient inputs from urban and agricultural sources. Recurrent water-logging causes temporary flooding in spring and after cloudbursts. To address both extremes (floods and shortages) the water directorate upgraded control structures, reconnected ~2.5 km of former floodplain at the estuary, improved sluices to allow retention while clearing bottlenecks for flood conveyance, increased urban drainage capacity (via a closed conduit), and added an upstream retention pond. Since completion (2011), management has shifted toward active small-water retention: today water is stored at three points along the Körös-ér - at the mouth (0+000), at 5+850 (betétpallós gate), and at 16+675, where DINPI built a retention structure in 2022 with a lateral sluice and ditch to inundate low-lying grasslands, boosting retained volumes and waterfowl habitat (boards are removed at high water; overtopping is possible). In 2025, under the “Vizet a tájba / Water to the Landscape” programme, managed in-channel storage and controlled inundation were also implemented near 22+884 (≈14 ha, ≈46,000 m³). Fish from the Tisza have re-appeared in reaches previously isolated.

The Scarpe in Arras (long canalised) was renatured (2009–2012) to balance navigation, recreation and ecology. Actions included removal of sheet piling, gentle bank reprofiling, mixed bio-engineering (hemp bundles, vegetated geonets, gabion mattresses where needed), riparian restoration (invasives removal, seeding, pollarded white willows), controlled access, and creation of a lagoon.
The project treated 1,760 m of banks and built two reedbeds (≈1,000 m² and 1,450 m²). In the same programme, a 1.4 ha pike spawning area at Fampoux was re-opened and reconnected to the Scarpe. Governance shifted in 2012 via a VNF→Arras Urban Community (CUA) convention; FDAAPPMA 62 manages the spawning sites. Baseline surveys were done in 2010 with a five-year follow-up planned.
Total cost €1,321,310 (studies €132,277; works €1,189,032), co-funded by Artois-Picardie Water Agency 51%, ERDF 48%, CUA 1%.
The reach remains actively managed. In 2022 the environmental authority (MRAe) reviewed a 10-year dredging plan (~180,000 m³) to secure a 1.65 m navigation draft, notably around the Saint-Laurent-Blangy water-sports base, and requested stronger WFD compliance, better fish/European eel assessment, and a catchment-scale response to upstream sediment inputs. Together, the restoration and ongoing management aim to diversify habitats while keeping the canal’s socio-economic uses.