Reviving the Danube wetlands: Floodplain Institute conducts research in EU-funded consortium

The background for the project is the fact that in the Danube river basin and the Danube Delta more than 70% of the floodplains and coastal wetlands have disappeared or are no longer connected to the river system. In turn, the remaining areas are adversely affected by human activities, such as wastewater discharge or drainage for agriculture. Such areas are not only valuable hotspots of biodiversity, but also provide important ecosystem functions, for example by serving as buffers during floods and droughts or by absorbing excess nutrients. In addition, they also have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a carbon sink.

The goal of the researchers involved is to develop tools for a systematic decision-making basis to identify suitable areas for renaturation and to provide orientation for necessary measures. In a first step, the focus is on four demonstration areas and six monitoring sites across the Danube region, including in Austria, Slovakia, Serbia and Romania. One study area, in the success monitoring of which the KU Floodplain Institute will also be involved, is located along the Salzach river on the German-Austrian border. In a second step, the results obtained will then be tested in five other areas inside and outside the Danube region and their transferability will be validated. These regions will be selected through an open call for proposals after completion of the first project phase. Selection and promotion of these additional regions is coordinated by the KU's Floodplain Institute. It is also part of the management of the work packages used to monitor the effects of the renaturation measures. "This is where we can contribute our broad expertise in remote sensing, assessment of ecological parameters and ecosystem services. The challenge is to find a cost-effective method that nevertheless reflects the ecological situation to the best possible extent", explains Dr. Barbara Stammel, deputy director of the Floodplain Institute. The participants of "Restore4Life" are not only interested in accelerating the renaturation of wetlands with the participation of all stakeholders, but also in involving citizens in the sense of "citizen science" in the collection of data.

More information on the project, the study areas and the planned work steps can be found at www.restore4life.eu.