As 2024 comes to a close, the collaboration between four EU-funded projects focusing on wetland restoration is growing ever stronger and more impactful. Together, we are reflecting on this year’s achievements while already planning for 2025, setting the stage for joint efforts to advance research, raise awareness, and build capacities for wetland restoration.
Wetland restoration plays a crucial role in climate change mitigation strategies, serving as a key nature-based solution that warrants greater investment and implementation. Recognising the urgent need to protect these ecosystems, four Horizon Europe projects — REWET, RESTORE4Cs, WET HORIZONS, and ALFAwetlands — have joined forces, involving over 40 organisations across Europe. Together, we are committed to restoring wetlands and enhancing their long-term capacity to mitigate climate change.
Our 2024 Joint Achievements:
- SERE 2024: At the 14th European Conference on Ecological Restoration in Tartu, Estonia, the projects jointly organised a session and booth, showcasing their contributions to the goals of the new EU Nature Restoration Law. Each project plays a vital role in generating knowledge to inform policy and restoration efforts, with a focus on peatlands’ role in carbon emissions.
- Regular Collaboration: Coordinators, communicators, and experts from all four projects held regular meetings to coordinate activities, implement communication strategies, and foster synergies. Partners also participated in one another’s annual conferences and are part of Advisory Boards.
- Young Researchers’ Webinars: In May 2024, we launched Emerging Voices: Young Researchers’ Webinars on Wetland Restoration, a recurring series providing young researchers with a platform to showcase their work in areas such as modelling, co-creation, greenhouse gas measurements, social sciences, etc.
- Collaborative Mapping: Partners worked together to produce detailed maps and reports on wetland types and management for Living Labs and European catchments, while also documenting the methodologies. These efforts are also contributing to the development of scientific articles.
- Joint Communication Strategies: A shared spreadsheet was created to highlight synergies and a holistic approach among the projects. Collaborative press releases and newsletters were issued to disseminate updates, including participation in the European Conference on Ecological Restoration.
Looking ahead to 2025
The Sister Projects will continue raising awareness and expanding their impact from local to European levels. Key plans include evaluating restoration efforts, developing tools for decision-support systems, and engaging with stakeholders at major events. One of them is the 12th INTECOL Wetlands Conference and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Society of Wetland Scientists Europe.
On behalf of all four projects, we wish you a peaceful and joyful winter season, filled with gratitude for your invaluable work in protecting and restoring Europe’s wetlands!
For more detailed info and photos showing our joint achievements, have a look at our LinkedIn channels: @RESTORE4Cs, @ALFAwetlands, @REWET, @WET HORIZONS.
