Description
River ecosystems, essential for mitigating climate change, are the most biodiverse on the planet and the most heavily impacted by human activities. While Europe is committed to restoring river ecosystems and improving their connectivity, Portuguese rivers are severely threatened by 13,000 barriers to river connectivity, loss of native species and spread of invasive species, pollution and lack of effective legal protection.
Meanwhile, government programmes are promoting new dams throughout the country, barriers to river connectivity have yet to be mapped, national programmes for river restoration and barrier removal do not exist, and communities are unaware of best practices for river restoration.
In a participatory manner, involving the population, communities, government water management agencies, universities, river restoration specialists and environmental media agencies, the current project will enable both behavioural change and the long-term conservation and restoration of national freshwater ecosystems, essential for mitigating climate change.
Using a methodology that can be replicated at basin and national levels, local assessment and implementation of public participation river restoration actions, including the removal of barriers to river connectivity, will be accompanied by lobbying and advocacy from local to regional and national levels to promote river conservation and restoration strategies.
