PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The area around the meandering river Enns in Styria, Austria covers a total area of 4 177 ha and consists of three Natura 2000 sites comprising a number of important habitats and species. There are many valleys bogs and alluvial forests along the river course with Alnus glutinosa (alders) and Fraxinus excelsior (ash), as well as numerous straw meadows with Phragmition, Magnocaricion or Molinion communities that have developed in the former riverbed sections,. These now count among the most valuable habitats for rare and endangered animal and plant species. However, due to a series of flood control measures that were taken in the late 19th century, most of the oxbows (crescent-shaped lakes lying alongside a winding river) have been effectively cut-off. The result was that numerous backwaters slowly deteriorated. Today these habitats are under threat due to the loss of the river’s dynamic development processes.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the LIFE Flusslandschaft Enns project was to protect the area around the river Enns and its valuable habitats by securing the remaining alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior by reconnecting them with the river dynamics. The project also aimed to develop new alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior by transforming allochthonous forests. In addition the project planned to develop alluvial habitat types on agricultural land by integrating these areas into the river dynamics. The fourth key aim was to improve the conditions of the remaining peat land habitats and orchid meadows in the river valley. All these actions would benefit other endangered habitats and species in the area and enhance alluvial waterbodies.
RESULTS
The LIFE Flusslandschaft Enns project succeeded in preserving and developing the Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior as well as the natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition vegetation. It also successfully improved the morphologic structures both within the Enns and in the side arms. Beyond that, the project achieved much more than what it had set out to accomplish. For example, it created 2.5 kms of side channels, restored tributaries and created continuum on 860 metres. It removed over a kilometre of hard embankment in order to reduce the damage of floods in accordance with the objectives of the EU Flood Directive. It created close to 13 000 m2 of alluvial ponds for fishes and amphibians and enlarged the existing Natura 2000 area by 4,3 ha.
In addition, supplementary riparian habitats were created with dynamic gravel banks. Dynamic river-morphological processes were either restored or initiated depending on the location by establishing side-channels, riverbed widening and the removal of embankments. Relict alluvial waterbodies were either created or connected to the main current. A number of endangered species have benefited from the measures taken by the project including the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), the Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), the Grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus) and others. The project expects fish species like the European bullhead (Eudontomyzon spp., Cottus gobio) and other small fishes to benefit as well from the project actions.
Another major achievement is the fact that thanks to the project, intensive agriculture around the river Enns has decreased. This is due to a combination of the transition of agricultural lands in biotope areas and to the creation of buffer zones that reduced the discharge of fertilizers and pesticides in the river system.
In addition, the project has built recreational areas, more hiking trails. This combined with the improved landscape has led to an increased number of tourists visiting the region.
It also produced information boards and organised information events from the very start of the project to ensure the public was involved in the project. In the valleys of alpine rivers the locals are scared of floods and reluctant to accept the idea of river widening actions. The LIFE project managed to get broad agreement for the restoration actions. In particular thanks to the work carried with school children.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
The LIFE Flusslandschaft Enns project succeeded in preserving and developing the Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior as well as the natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition vegetation. It also successfully improved the morphologic structures both within the Enns and in the side arms. Beyond that, the project achieved much more than what it had set out to accomplish. For example, it created 2.5 kms of side channels, restored tributaries and created continuum on 860 metres. It removed over a kilometre of hard embankment in order to reduce the damage of floods in accordance with the objectives of the EU Flood Directive. It created close to 13 000 m2 of alluvial ponds for fishes and amphibians and enlarged the existing Natura 2000 area by 4,3 ha.In addition, supplementary riparian habitats were created with dynamic gravel banks. Dynamic river-morphological processes were either restored or initiated depending on the location by establishing side-channels, riverbed widening and the removal of embankments. Relict alluvial waterbodies were either created or connected to the main current. A number of endangered species have benefited from the measures taken by the project including the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), the Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), the Grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus) and others. The project expects fish species like the European bullhead (Eudontomyzon spp., Cottus gobio) and other small fishes to benefit as well from the project actions.
Another major achievement is the fact that thanks to the project, intensive agriculture around the river Enns has decreased. This is due to a combination of the transition of agricultural lands in biotope areas and to the creation of buffer zones that reduced the discharge of fertilizers and pesticides in the river system.
In addition, the project has built recreational areas, more hiking trails. This combined with the improved landscape has led to an increased number of tourists visiting the region.
It also produced information boards and organised information events from the very start of the project to ensure the public was involved in the project. In the valleys of alpine rivers the locals are scared of floods and reluctant to accept the idea of river widening actions. The LIFE project managed to get broad agreement for the restoration actions. In particular thanks to the work carried with school children.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
