Rewilding Romania has successfully completed the first phase of its river restoration project in the Southern Carpathians, an effort backed by a EUR 74,700 grant from the European Open Rivers Programme. Moving forward, the organization plans to apply for new grants starting next year to continue its long-term efforts to improve river connectivity and restore biodiversity.

Over four months, the team mapped 72 barriers across five key river catchments - Belareca, Pârâul Rece, Feneș, Sebeș, and Bistra. These include 39 dams, 26 weirs, 3 natural waterfalls, and other obstacles impacting river connectivity.

This phase enabled the inventory of species, assessment of the impact of these barriers, and the prioritization of those suitable for removal. Rewilding Romania has also established clear priorities for future actions and is preparing to advance to the next two phases of the initiative, which require additional funding.

Marina Drugă, Team Leader at Rewilding Romania, stated: “The progress we’ve made in identifying and evaluating river barriers is an essential step toward restoring aquatic ecosystems and the habitats of numerous fish species. This initiative is part of our long-term vision to enable rivers to flow freely again and restore natural processes. By undertaking scientifically grounded interventions and feasibility studies that account for associated risks, we aim to generate sustainable benefits for both biodiversity and local communities.”

The project, funded by the Open Rivers Programme, will continue until the end of March 2025 and ensures the completion of the first phase of Rewilding Romania’s broader river restoration initiative. 

Upon concluding this phase, the organization plans to secure additional funding to proceed with subsequent phases of the same initiative: phase two - conducting technical feasibility studies and obtaining the necessary permits and phase three - the actual removal of the selected barriers.

Planned actions for 2025 include collaborating with land owners to secure the necessary consent for removals, engaging with stakeholders, and creating a report with best practices to guide similar initiatives.

Rewilding Romania is working to ensure the long-term health of aquatic ecosystems in the Southern Carpathians by increasing river connectivity, improving breeding habitats, and boosting the resilience of key species. Removing obsolete barriers will improve sediment transport and water quality, benefiting several fish species.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Rewilding Romania)