[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/14582\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n      3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n      \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n        \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n  \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EResearchers bringing the Danube back to life\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFlorian Borgwardt and Tibor Er\u0151s, ecologists and life-long freshwater enthusiasts, have set their sights on helping restore the mighty Danube. They are working within an international partnership of scientists, conservationists and local communities to restore the river\u2019s ecosystem and biodiversity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFlowing through 10 countries and 4 capitals, Europe\u2019s second-longest river is a vital artery for nature and people. Yet decades of human intervention have taken their toll. Dams and barriers fragment its flow, fish species are endangered, wetlands have been drained, and pollution degrades water quality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs a result, fish populations have declined, ecosystems have weakened, and communities face growing risks from floods and droughts. Climate change is worsening these pressures, further reducing biodiversity and the quality of water.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EA challenging river to fix\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERestoring a river as vast and shared as the Danube is no small feat. Pressures and priorities shift from one stretch to the next, and from country to country.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat is where the EU-funded DANUBElifelines initiative comes in, bringing together experts from across the river basin to work towards a healthier, more balanced Danube.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur project targets depleting stocks of fish species, which migrate to the Danube or within the Danube system in search of stable habitats during their life cycle,\u201d said Borgwardt, who coordinates the research collaboration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EEnvironmental and climate crises are deeply interconnected. Only integrated approaches can address them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003EFlorian Borgwardt, DANUBElifelines\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe researchers are focusing on eight demonstration areas along the river system \u2013 from Germany and Austria through Slovenia, Slovakia and Hungary, all the way to Romania and Bulgaria.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHere, teams are removing outdated barriers, reconnecting side arms and smaller rivers, and improving habitats to give the river more room to function naturally. Their work contributes to the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters to protect and restore aquatic ecosystems by 2030.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELaunched in May 2025, the four-year collaboration focuses in particular on migratory fish and river corridors, reopening blocked migration routes and restoring key habitats along the way.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership brings together universities, research institutes, NGOs and policy organisations, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Wetlands International.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ECharting the Danube\u2019s recovery\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe DANUBElifelines researchers are studying fish movement patterns, assessing the quality of the natural habitat and working on solutions with local stakeholders. In one stretch of the river, for example, the team is testing the removal or modification of small barriers so fish can once again move freely between spawning and feeding areas.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBorgwardt is an assistant professor at the Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management at Vienna\u2019s University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. He is a strong advocate of using scientific mapping and modelling to guide restoration.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHaving grown up near a river, he developed an early interest in river protection and later became passionate about using technology to understand nature from an ecosystems perspective.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEr\u0151s, head of the Fish and Conservation Ecology Research Group at the HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute in Hungary, has a similar background.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe was born and raised in a small village on the Hungarian Danube shores, and the river has been part of his daily life for as long as he can remember. \u201cI was a passionate fisherman who became a passionate fish ecologist.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBoth scientists favour a hands-on, demonstration-based approach. Rather than producing reports that sit on shelves, they intervene in real locations, learn from the outcomes and share the lessons widely.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ERestoring the river\u2019s rhythm\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe key aspect, Borgwardt said, is interconnectivity: how different parts of the river are linked. \u201cIf fish can\u2019t reach certain habitats at the right time, they can\u2019t complete their life cycle. The aim is to get them upstream \u2013 and then safely back downstream after spawning.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChallenges differ along the river. \u201cWe have to select the most suitable sites for restoration and conservation purposes,\u201d said Er\u0151s. \u201cWe then provide scientific evaluations and recommendations to stakeholders, along with proposals for sustainable management.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EReplicating what works\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDANUBElifelines is designed to create solutions that can be applied beyond the Danube. Methods tested in the Danube River Basin can support restoration efforts in other European rivers, helping future projects build on existing knowledge rather than start from scratch.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBorgwardt highlighted the importance of shared data. \u201cA common monitoring scheme gives us a clearer picture of how fish use habitats. We can then draw on this knowledge to recommend effective measures.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ERestoration with local allies\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause the Danube crosses so many borders, successful restoration depends on coordination, shared objectives and local support. For Er\u0151s, collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders is essential.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStakeholders need to be willing to act towards common goals,\u201d he said. \u201cThat means finding compromise solutions that take everyone\u2019s needs into account.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith this in mind, the DANUBElifelines team works with local authorities, national park managers, fishing communities, farmers and regional organisations.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022text-center text-blue font-bold text-2xl w-full lg:w-1\/2 border-2 border-blue p-12 my-8 lg:m-12 lg:-ml-16 float-left\u0022\u003E\n  \u003Cspan class=\u0022text-5xl rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cp class=\u0022font-serif italic\u0022\u003EWe have to select the most suitable sites for restoration and conservation purposes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n  \u003Cfooter\u003E\n    \u003Ccite class=\u0022not-italic font-normal text-sm text-black\u0022\u003ETibor Er\u0151s, DANUBElifelines\u003C\/cite\u003E\n  \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe look at how sustainable management can benefit both the river and local communities,\u201d said Borgwardt. To that end, the team organises workshops to present findings and discuss restoration options.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWWF plays a key role in linking science to conservation practice and policy, while the project also works closely with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), which coordinates the implementation of EU water legislation across the basin.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe share results from our demonstration sites with regional authorities,\u201d Borgwardt said. \u201cWhen it comes to nature conservation, dialogue and incentive-based approaches are often the most effective.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, the team recognises the need to balance ecological restoration with existing uses of the river such as navigation, hydropower and agriculture.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ELooking ahead\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBorgwardt remains optimistic. \u201cEnvironmental and climate crises are deeply interconnected,\u201d he said. \u201cOnly integrated approaches can address them. Even though we are still in the early phase of the project, what we\u2019ve put in place is promising.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe restoration of the Danube River Basin shows how joint action by science, policy and communities can begin to repair damage accumulated over generations, while creating ecosystems that are more resilient to future pressures.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs Europe grapples with biodiversity loss and climate change, initiatives like DANUBElifelines offer both hope and a practical roadmap \u2013 demonstrating that restoration is possible, and that lasting change is within reach when communities are engaged as partners.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E**The project in this article received funding as part of the EU Mission: Restore our Oceans and Waters. \u0026nbsp;EU Missions are EU\u2011funded initiatives that mobilise research, policy and citizens to tackle major real-world challenges by 2030.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n            \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n      Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n    \u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-gzz3u1cfhbyye1asmcnqqb5oktlsh9grsie0m97ca0e\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-gzz3u1CFhBYyE1AsmCNqqB5OKTlSH9grSIE0M97ca0E\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]