Charlie Pichon is in charge of ecological continuity at the Pyrénées-Atlantique Fishing Federation, in France. His journey into river restoration began 15 years ago during his university studies, where he first learned about dam removal as a method to improve aquatic ecosystem health. Since then, Charlie has led numerous river restoration projects across the South-West of France, one of which earned the nomination for the 2023 Dam Removal Award. Learn more about his journey into the river restoration field and his advice for the next generation of River Heroes.
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Welcome Charlie! What do you do for a living?
[Charlie] I work for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Fishing Fédération. It’s an NGO that has two objectives: (1) preservation of aquatic environments and (2) promotion of recreational fishing. More specifically, I work on projects that diagnose the permeability of dams, monitor freshwater fish population and execute dam removal projects.
How did you find out that river barriers can be removed?
[Charlie] I took a course specialising in aquatic ecosystems during my university studies 15 years ago. Although it was uncommon at the time, river professionals already knew that it was often the best way to restore rivers. In France, we had emblematic examples in the past, with the Maisons-Rouges (Vienne River) and Saint-Etienne-du-Vigan (Allier River) dams, back in 1998.