I.S. Rivers Mondays 2026

River restoration in north-western Europe has been underway for several decades now. However, the exchange and sharing of knowledge on restoration approaches, engineering practices, monitoring and results between different watercourses is not very common, even though watercourse managers and researchers would have much to gain from it.

This webinar offers an opportunity to learn about restoration practices from river management experts in Austria and Germany, who will present the restoration programmes being carried out on the Elbe and the Danube. They will share their experience and provide an update on their practices, the monitoring process and the main results.

Programme

The restoration of the Danube: a river with straightforwardd challenges and uses

The presentation will draw on Professor Habersack’s extensive experience in the management of major watercourses, particularly the DANUBE4ALL project, which serves as an example of a comprehensive restoration action plan for the Danube basin. – Prof. Helmut Habersack, professor at the University of Boku (Austria), coordinator of the European Horizon project ‘DANUBE4ALL’

The Elbe: a prime example of the challenges facing the restoration and integrated management of Europe's rivers

Like many European rivers, the Elbe has undergone numerous changes, leading to a reduction in its ecological connectivity, a decline in its biodiversity and increased vulnerability to global change. This presentation will detail the implementation of an innovative governance framework, the ‘Gesamtkonzept Elbe’, which, thanks to coordinated cooperation between the many stakeholders involved, has led to integrated river management and numerous ecological restoration projects. This framework reconciles both environmental conservation and economic interests within the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve. – Mr Guido Puhlmann, Director of the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve (Germany)

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