The LIFE 4 RIVERS (L4R) project was created to implement the latest scientific advances in restoring the multidimensional ecological continuity of the Parsęta River and its tributaries. The project is carried out in the Parsęta catchment area in the southern Baltic Sea region. It is here that we demonstrate in practice how to achieve the status of a free-flowing river, in line with criteria developed by the ECOSTAT Working Group on Free-Flowing Rivers in cooperation with the European Environment Agency. The Parsęta has been included in one of the case studies for assessment, and the experience gained through the project can be applied in other river basins across Europe.
The objectives of the LIFE 4 RIVERS project include:
- restoring the ecological continuity of the Parsęta River and its tributaries;
- improving spawning conditions for fish (sea trout, grayling, bullhead) and lampreys (river and brook);
- restoring the population of Atlantic salmon in the Parsęta, including through restocking, habitat quality improvement, and habitat protection;
- restoring wetlands and riparian forests;
- increasing public awareness and responsibility for nature conservation through the creation of a volunteer group of Parsęta Rangers, tasked with combating poaching.
Concrete actions – measurable results
The LIFE 4 RIVERS project aims to restore healthy river and riparian ecosystems to the condition of a free-flowing river. In practice, this means:
- Reconnecting the river with its valley – that is, rewetting wetlands, restoring riparian forests, and reconnecting oxbow lakes with the main channel. These actions increase water retention, improve habitat quality, and strengthen natural carbon storage.
- Restoring longitudinal connectivity along the river by removing or transforming 32 barriers (dams and weirs) and constructing facilities that enable the migration of diadromous fish. We will restore spawning habitats in the Parsęta and its main tributaries – the Radew and the Dębnica. We will reopen migration routes for Atlantic salmon and lampreys, and the outcomes will be monitored using modern research methods. We aim to achieve a real increase in populations of migratory species.
- Restoring ecosystem services such as natural water retention, self-purification of waters, and recreation.
- Strengthening social engagement – through the establishment of volunteer Parsęta Rangers, the development of education and citizen science, and workshops for local communities.
For this reason, the Parsęta Rangers play an important role in the project. They are a team of committed individuals who will monitor the state of the river, counteract poaching, carry out educational activities, and support the development of citizen science. We want residents, anglers, local governments, and NGOs to become co-creators of change. Because a river needs not only engineers and scientists, but also people who feel connected to it.
Why is restoring river continuity crucial?
Continuity allows a river to function as a healthy, self-regulating ecosystem. Regulation, embankments, barriers, land drainage for agriculture and urbanization, eutrophication, and habitat fragmentation all lead to the degradation of aquatic and riparian habitats and weaken the ecosystem. As a result, an 84% decline in freshwater biodiversity has been recorded in Europe.
In the Parsęta, historical river regulation shortened the river by 8.6 km and led to the loss of meanders. Barriers block the migration of Atlantic salmon and lampreys. River fragmentation increases the risk of floods and droughts and reduces the ecosystem’s resilience to climate change. LIFE 4 RIVERS addresses these challenges in a comprehensive way. L4R activities support the implementation of the EU Habitats Directive and the new Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, including the goal of restoring 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers in Europe.
The partners of the LIFE Parsęta project, which is funded by the European Union, are: the Association of Cities and Municipalities of the Parsęta River Basin, Polish Waters (PGW Wody Polskie), Polish Waters – Regional Water Management Authority in Szczecin, WWF Poland, Universidade de Vigo, Blue Rivers Foundation, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Szczecin, and the Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute – National Research Institute.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
