PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The economies of the counties Västerbotten and Norrbotten are linked to their forests. However, the activities of the forest products industry can have negative impacts on protected species, habitats and biodiversity.
The rivers targeted by this project have been heavily influenced by measures taken to facilitate large-scale timber floating during the 19th and 20th centuries. Extensive efforts were made to narrow and channel all watercourses, blocking side channels, and removing boulders and tree trunks from the main channel. Drainage ditches were linked to the rivers and while such ditches are no longer dug, most of the old ditches remain and have long-lasting effects on both forests and watercourses. The current forestry practices may be detrimental to the rivers of the forest landscape. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the riparian forest, which is very efficient in preventing particles and nutrients from flushing out into streams, is often cut down or severely damaged. Clear-cutting along streams leads to an increase of solar exposure and rising water temperature. The ecological status of many of the stretches of river targeted by this project is no better than ‘moderate’.
By restoring rivers to a more natural state, this project will contribute to the implementation of the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive.
OBJECTIVES
The ReBorN LIFE project has two main objectives:
The habitats concerned are Fennoscandian natural rivers and watercourses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation – two habitat types whose conservation status was assessed as ‘inadequate’ in the boreal region of Sweden in both 2007 and 2013. Project actions will take place in six river systems of the boreal region, all of which are Natura 2000 network sites. The target species are the freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and European otter (Lutra lutra).
Specific objectives include:
Expected results: The project expects to reverse the effects of previous alterations for timber floating, restoring some 202 km of the target rivers and creating 2 300 spawning grounds for salmon and trout. Specific impacts in the restored areas will include: