PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Freshwater habitats are among the most threatened habitat types globally. In the 2007-2012 conservation status assessment of the EU Habitats Directive (Article 17), none of the freshwater, coastal, and groundwater-dependent wetland habitats in Europe fully met favourable conservation status, and most are in unfavourable conservation status. Almost 50% of European water bodies are failing to achieve the environmental objectives set by the Water Framework Directive in 2015. In Finland, the conservation status of most freshwater habitats has been assessed as ‘unfavourable’.
Freshwater habitats are often altered by human activity, such as land reclamation, water-borne traffic, and hydropower production, and degraded by eutrophication and hydromorphological changes in water bodies and their catchments. Climate change poses further risks for freshwater via changes in evapotranspiration, the growing demand for freshwater resources, and changes in nutrient leaching and habitat suitability.
European freshwater-related directives have the common goal of protecting and regulating the use of the freshwater environment. To ensure future sustainable use of freshwater wetland systems, the implementation of the multiple directives controlling ecosystem services, biodiversity, cultural heritage, and renewable energy needs to be harmonised. Actions are also needed to enhance catchment-level and cross-sectional cooperation among different administrative and operational actors and institutes, such as public administrations implementing the Water Framework Directive, the administrative bodies involved in implementing the Habitats and Birds Directives, NGOs, and the private sector.
OBJECTIVES
FRESHABIT focuses on fresh- and groundwater-dependent habitats, coastal and estuarine habitats, and species depending on water in several Natura 2000 network sites across Finland. The project aimed to develop new methodologies and indicators for assessing the conservation status of freshwater habitats. It further aimed to improve the ecological status, management, and sustainable use of these habitats by developing networks and operational models and testing them in selected catchments. The project was looking to enhance capacity building by setting up coordination structures and pathways that enable the full implementation of the prioritised action framework (PAF) and other environmental policies. By improving multisectoral cooperation, FRESHABIT aimed to develop new model frameworks and operational models to facilitate long-lasting results.
The main objectives of FRESHABIT were to:
- Build coordination structures, models, and networks for integrated planning, implementation, and monitoring schemes for directives related to freshwater management, and demonstrate these in eight regional networks of Natura 2000 sites.
- Improve the conservation, management, and sustainable use of freshwater habitats and related resources by enhancing cooperation among administrative and operational actors, particularly by emphasising private-public partnerships.
- Improve the conservation and ecological status of freshwater habitats and related species in selected regional networks through habitat restoration.
- Develop and demonstrate methodology related to the assessment, modelling, and monitoring of freshwater habitats, ecosystem services, and cultural heritage.
- Develop biodiversity and ecosystem service indicators serving both national and international monitoring and policy needs.
- Enhance sustainable use of freshwater resources by integrating conservation approaches into ecosystem-based entrepreneurship and improving environmental awareness.
- In addition to the IP budget itself, the project wanted to facilitate the coordinated use of €4,320,773 of complementary funding from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and national and private funds, as applicable
RESULTS
The project was planned based on the PAF FI 2014-20, but actively participated in the updating of the PAF for 2021-27, and structured the project aims according to the approved PAF for 2021-2027.
Freshabit LIFE IP enhanced the implementation of the PAF FI by increasing cooperation between environmental sectors, building capacity for implementing it at national and local levels, providing guidance for participatory planning and implementation of measures in and around N2000 sites, and demonstrating the implementation in regions across Finland. Lessons learned in the project are visible in many ongoing projects as well as in the preparation of new projects.
The project participated in the development of a nationwide model for assessing the status of streams (Purohelmi nation-wide status model). The model improves the knowledge status of headwater streams considerably, giving a status forecast for more than 100 000 km of streams and thus improving the poor knowledge of headwater streams considerably, which helps prioritising for the restoration of streams.
In terms of capacity building, Freshabit improved the capacity of local and regional actors for implementing large nature conservation projects. At the national level, cooperation between national institutes dealing with nature conservation, water protection, and forestry has improved. Also, the project has raised awareness for the PAF and updated the plan, enhancing the inclusion of different sectors in the work. Freshabit built up new coordination structures, models, and networks for integrated planning, implementation, and monitoring schemes for directives related to freshwater management at the regional and national levels, which are the long-lasting results of the project. Management models and networks were piloted on eight regional networks of N2000 sites. Participatory approaches and methods were developed to promote stakeholder engagement at the site and regional levels. Beneficiaries actively participated in the updating of the River Basin Management Plans for the years 2021-27.
A large consortium of 31 beneficiaries brought added value to the project with their own network of stakeholders, and these networks were efficiently utilised in communicating about the project aims, PAF FI, and N2000, as well as making things work for the implementation of the planned measures.
Finally, the impressive media coverage and environmental education have raised the awareness of the general public on freshwater conservation.
The network of complementary projects grew from 4 M€ and 29 projects to 231 M€ and 103 projects by the end, complementing the project in many ways, from concrete site-related measures to method development and research, and utilising funds from a variety of sources.
The direct, quantifiable environmental benefits of the project are:
Pillar 1: Horizontal measures and administrative costs related to Natura 2000
- plans for future implementation in Natura 2000 catchments for 236,450 ha
- 55 ha of inventoried lake habitat within N2000 sites
- 41 ha of protected riparian forest within N2000 site
Pillar 2a: Natura 2000 site-related maintenance and restoration measures for species and habitats
- 48,9 km of inventoried streams within N2000 sites
- 752 ha of restored peatland within N2000 sites
- 697 km of reopened migration routes by constructing fish passes
- 7,4 km of restored streams within N2000 sites
- 1 ha of improved riparian zone
- 147 tonnes of removed cyprinid fish in 2 target lakes
- 38,700 ha of improved N2000 lake habitat by C actions.
Pillar 3: Additional species-specific measures not related to specific ecosystems or habitats
- 1,036 ha of improved bird lakes and wetlands
- Two populations of Freshwater Pearl Mussel saved from immediate extinction by rearing
By combining LIFE and complementary funding, the project improved water protection in 24,700 ha of catchments around the project N2000 sites, supporting pillar 2b Additional Green infrastructure measures beyond Natura 2000.
The project has prepared a road map for the full implementation of the PAF FI 2021–2027 based on the project results and the most relevant ongoing projects in Finland.
