LIFE4Rivers

Restoring ecological continuity in the Parsęta River to support migratory fish

The LIFE FOR RIVERS project uses recent scientific knowledge to restore multidimensional ecological continuity in the Parsęta River in northern Poland, one of the few remaining Central European rivers still harboring populations of salmon and sea trout. LIFE FOR RIVERS thus supports meeting the Habitats Directive goals and the EU Biodiversity Strategy, including the southern Baltic Sea’s 25K target. The project aims to restore the Parsęta towards a free-flowing river status by ensuring the passability of barriers by migratory fish.

The Blue Rivers Foundation (BRF) contributes by running simulations to find cost-effective ways to improve connectivity in the Parsęta River, supporting stakeholder engagement, and leading successful communication efforts. BRF also identifies social and institutional barriers to restoration and is developing a Blue Flag award scheme for the Parsęta watershed. This scheme will serve as a model to scale up connectivity restoration across Europe and encourage compliance with the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy’s free-flowing river target.

Additionally, BRF leads the assessment of ecosystem services using the non-monetized RESI method and provides expertise on monetizing benefits such as enhanced carbon storage and tourism opportunities.