In 2020, our partnership has grown with the joining of two new organizations, The Nature Conservancy and Wetlands International. Our partnership now includes seven organizations spanned across Europe. Together, we aim to restore Europe’s rivers and inspire a dam removal movement across the continent.
In Europe, The Nature Conservancy aims to strengthen policy, engage leading companies to advance sustainable development, encourage private philanthropy, and develop impact investing strategies. Already, we have collaborated with each other and others to create the Practitioners toolkit for dam removal. We look forward to many more opportunities in the future!
“Protecting land and water is an integral part of The Nature Conservancy’s mission: we have laboured extensively and with great success to ensure the free-flowing status of rivers in the USA, and are now look to bring our expertise and dedication to Europe.TNC wishes to work alongside other organisations who share this great commitment.” Henrik Osterblad, Freshwater Conservation Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy
Wetlands International works to raise awareness about wetland ecosystems and to advocate the sustainable use of wetlands for people and nature, in particular by linking science, policy and practice. Wetlands International has developed a consultation response to the European Commission recommending dam removal as a priority topic for research investment under the Horizon Europe programme, hosted a webinar series on river continuity and dam removal and co-authored a decision-makers guidelines for dam removal considering the risks of invasive alien species.
“River continuity restoration is a key topic in the work of Wetlands International Europe and our members. Previously as a supporter of the DRE initiative, Wetlands International Europe collaborated with DRE partners for a number of years. On several occasions, we jointly promoted dam removal as a priority topic for EU investment and as a key measure to achieve the objectives of EU environmental legislation. Becoming a partner of the coalition seemed a logical step in order to join forces for the cause of free-flowing, healthy rivers. The DRE coalition is strong in awareness raising, crowdfunding, compiling data for communication purposes and on the ground removal of dams. To this impressive work, Wetlands International adds a European lobby and advocacy component.”
– Eef Silver, Policy Officer Water & Rivers, Wetlands International
We are excited to grow the partnership and we know this will help lead to more free-flowing rivers throughout Europe.
