Already between 2014 and 2017, the institute, which received funding from the Volkswagen Foundation, and its scientific partners in Kyrgyzstan and China were researching how the use of riparian forests in the countries can be designed in a compatible and sustainable way. Building on the experience gained during those years, the “ÖkoFlussPlan” project now concentrates on the floodplain ecosystems along the Naryn river in Kyrgyzstan. The research consortium consisting of 14 partner institutions is led by Prof. Dr. Bernd Cyffka (KU Professorship of Applied Physical Geography and Head of the Floodplain Institute Neuburg). The Kyrgyz city of Naryn now welcomed project participants to the kick off meeting for the project, which will be funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research over a period of three years.
“Sustainability is of increasing importance also in Kyrgyzstan, both for politics and the population. This common interest is what connects both project countries. The present project offers an excellent opportunity to make new contacts which will form a network even beyond the project duration”, emphasizes the German ambassador Monika Iwersen at the meeting. The project focuses on a conflict involving different needs: On the one hand, the local population uses the riparian forests as a source for firewood, on the other hand, however, it is of great importance to preserve natural ecosystems and biodiversity. In addition, there are plans to expand on hydropower in the region. Part of the solution will be the cultivation of fast-growing wood plantations that could replace floodplains as a source of firewood. Furthermore, researchers also plan on using modern technology for generating renewable energy and for introducing efficient energy use. In doing so, they place great importance on remaining in close dialog with the population and local decision-makers in order to be able to draw on already existing regional knowledge from the very beginning and to be able to firmly establish and root their project results in the area.
Another project in which the Floodplain Institute Neuburg is involved has its project site in Germany: On the lower Lahn in Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, a new concept for the management of the river needs to be developed by reconciling and balancing the factors of leisure shipping, hydropower, agriculture and tourism. Furthermore, EU directives on the protection of water bodies, flood prevention and species protection must be taken into account. Originally, the Lahn river was developed as a waterway for cargo shipping, but is now exclusively used for tourism. As almost two dozen locks in this area have meanwhile aged and are outdated, important investment decisions must be made that require a future perspective that must be agreed on beforehand. A River Ecosystem Service Index (RESI) will help to systematically map the performance of water bodies for society and to identify interactions between the various uses. Between 2015 and 2018, the Floodplain Institute was already involved in the early development phase of this index with the Danube as an example. Now, it also participates in the follow-up project “RESI-Lahn”, which is also supported financially by the German Federal Ministry of Research. KU researchers will focus on the role of the Lahn as a habitat for plants and animals and investigate how the different species could develop in the light of planned measures. This makes the Floodplain Institute Neuburg one of many renowned partners, such as the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research or the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
The “CityRiver” project, which was initiated by the City of Donauwörth and the Lechwerke Wasserkraft GmbH and which is funded by the EU, is another collaboration project in which the Floodplain Institute Neuburg is involved. It has the objective of bringing the Danube and the local population along the river closer together. Additional project partners include the Technical University of Munich and the University of Innsbruck as well as the fisheries association Fischereiverband Schwaben. “CityRiver seeks to improve the ecological situation of the river Danube in urban areas and to develop habitats for flora and fauna. At the same time, the project partners have the aim of making the river more accessible and tangible for citizens by widening the river bed in some places and by adapting the embankment structures”, explains Prof. Dr. Bernd Cyffka, head of the Floodplain Institute. Like this, the river turns into a local recreation area and the awareness for the river as an important habitat is strengthened. The Floodplain Institute Neuburg will specifically be involved in the planning of a new bypass that will lead fish around a barrage. The institute will observe how new spawning habitats of native fish species, such as huchen or nase, are accepted.
