The new improveaquaticlife.se website follows Europe’s largest water conservation project. The first action has already been completed – a 200-ton concrete culvert has been removed to restore the natural flow of the Pjältån river.
Improve Aquatic LIFE is Europe’s largest aquatic restoration project, aiming to restore aquatic habitats in lakes, rivers and coastal waters in nine different counties. Nearly SEK 400 million is being invested to improve aquatic environments, mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen threatened populations of fish and mussels in southern Sweden.
A 200-ton, 60-meter-long concrete culvert was removed and the water now flows again in the original riverbed.
New website – improveaquaticlife.se
It is now possible to follow the extensive activities here on the new website. It provides an overview of all project areas, priority species and news about the various sub-projects. In the future, videos, podcasts and even more fresh updates will document the progress of the giant water restoration project.
200-ton concrete culvert removed
The first action was completed in September last year, in the Pjältån nature reserve in Östergötland. A 200-ton, 60-meter-long concrete culvert was removed and the water now flows again in the original riverbed. The measure benefits trout, as well as river lamprey that share the same habitat.
Hundreds of actions over seven years
Over a period of seven years, more than 500 restoration actions will be carried out in rivers, wetlands and coastal areas to improve the habitats of threatened species. Migration barriers will be removed, eelgrass meadows planted, and rivers and wetlands restored. Advanced research from universities on, for example, fish movement patterns and habitats will provide valuable knowledge on how best to restore a river.
Priority species include salmon and sea lamprey, as well as the two freshwater mussels, the freshwater pearl mussel and the thick-shelled river mussel, but a wide range of other fish, animals and plants will benefit from the measures.
– “Thanks to large-scale projects like this, we can truly make a difference for endangered species and improve their habitats,” said Karin Olsson, Project Manager of Improve Aquatic LIFE.
Improve Aquatic LIFE
Improve Aquatic LIFE is a seven-year win-win project with high sustainability benefits for nature and future generations. The project is funded by the EU, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, among others. 17 different partners are involved in the project: the county administrative boards in Värmland, Västra Götaland, Halland, Skåne, Blekinge, Kronoberg, Jönköping, Kalmar and Östergötland, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Karlstad University, University of Gothenburg, Lund University, Helsingborg Municipality, Tingsryd Municipality and Swedish Anglers Association.