Free Flow Luxembourg – Seminar
Seminar on restoring free flowing rivers in Luxembourg by removing obsolete barriers
When?
May 21st, 2024: from 13:00 – 20:00 Central European Time (CET)
Where?
Utopia Cinema, Luxembourg City
The national seminar FREE FLOW aims to enhance networking and joint commitment amongst river practitioners from Luxembourg with a shared interest in restoring free-flowing rivers by removing obsolete man-made barriers. This topic is more relevant than ever, as the biodiversity of free-flowing rivers is under pressure, while droughts and floodings are becoming more frequent events due to climate change.At the same time the value of free-flowing rivers and the need to protect and restore them has recently been recognized by the EU Biodiversity strategy, the Convention of Biological Diversity and the National Biodiversity Strategy of Luxembourg, implemented by the National Plan for the Protection of Nature (PNPN3). Furthermore, the restoration of free-flowing rivers is a key element for achieving a good ecological status under the Water Framework Directive (CE/2000/60).
Thanks to the work of river practitioners in Europe and the United States of America, barrier removal is getting mainstreamed and implemented as a valid tool for river restoration and nature-based solution to respond to climate change. Within the frame of the 3rd national RMBP, the implementation of obsolete barrier removal is recognized as an efficient tool for river restoration with high ecological value and is part of the nature and river restoration programme of measures.In accordance with the European-wide objective of the Biodiversity Strategy of restoring at least 25.000 km of free-flowing river stretches, Luxembourg is developing a national free flowing river strategy, which deals with the practical set of measures.
Therefore, the first Free Flow Luxembourg seminar seeks to bring together the Luxembourgish River practitioners’ network, to share knowledge, and discuss challenges. The seminar will highlight best practices on obsolete barrier removal and the latest developments around the restoration of free-flowing rivers. Best practices will be actively shared through presentations but also through live interviews in the field. This seminar is an official World Fish Migration Day event. During May hundreds of events will be organised and celebrated all over the world. The central theme of this international awareness event is Free Flowing Rivers. The seminar in Luxembourg will be highlighted as one of the main showcase events.
Programme
13.00
Opening
Official opening and welcome by Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity of Luxembourg (Serge Wilmes)
13:10
Setting the scene by Administration de la gestion de l’eau (AGE)
Director of the AGE- Luxembourg (Jean-Paul Lickes)
13:20
World Fish Migration Day: Creating international awareness for migratory fish and free-flowing rivers.
WFMF – (Adela Baratech Sánchez)
13:25
Restoring rivers by removing barriers in the USA
American Rivers – USA (Tom Kiernan)
13:55
Restoring rivers in Luxembourg
AGE – Luxembourg (Claude Prim)
14:15
Experience and challenges on dam removal in Luxemburg, Belgium and France
Stream and River Consult srl- Belgium (Thomas Tomson)
14:30
Q&A and BREAK
15:05
Dam Removal Europe: challenges when removing dams
WFMF – (Ruben Rocha)
15:35
Presentation of the outcomes of the Free Flow River (FFR) study and the FFR strategy Luxembourg
Ministry of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity- Luxembourg (Lisa van der Weken)
15:55
LIVE future dam removal project from the field and explain
AGE and Municipality of Mertert
16:05
Panel discussion from the audience
BREAK
17:00
Dambusters documentary screening
18:45
Dinner & Networking
Language: Luxemburgish with the possibility of English translation
