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Project title

FORECASTER: Facilitating the application of Output from Research and CAse STudies on Ecological Responses to hydro-morphological degradation and rehabilitation

Summary

OBJECTIVE: Assessing research output (both national, European and North American) and case studies concerning the ecological effects of hydro-morphological degradation and positioning hydromorphology in river rehabilitation strategies. These aspects are highly relevant to national issues as well as being transferable to other European countries to determine the programme of measures to bring rivers to good ecological status. The project will link science with practical implementation of robust, cost efficient rehabilitation strategies. The outputs will be transferred into guidance for application across Europe. The focus will be on rivers and fish, but invertebrates and lakes will also be addressed. Mechanism for achieving good ecological potential in heavily modified and artificial water bodies will also be included, an aspect that has yet to be realised widely across Europe. Where appropriate results will be linked to socio-economic functions, since they constrain the scope for rehabilitation but can also provide innovative solutions. Case studies will come predominantly from the participating countries and thus cover Central, Southern and Western Europe. White gaps in knowledge will be identified. The scientific value lies in the quality of the assessment, where the innovation and added value for WFD implementation is in the transfer, guidance and accessibility of the project outputs. The aim is to build on information compiled for the 1st RMBP (2009) by linking this to relevant research and case studies as a step towards a more knowledge-based 2nd RMBP (2015)

Work Planning

Phase 1 will peer-review and evaluate research and case studies. The results will be the input for two interactive workshops (month 6, 18) with stakeholders where clarity, transferability, usefulness and quality will be central issues and a final conference (M24). Phase 2 delivers the output (fact sheets, manuals, information on internet thematically via a WIKIPEDIA and geographically via GOOGLE MAPS)

Exploitation

The results can easily be exploited, because Google maps will be used as an access gate to the project output. The results will be presented in a framework of both national and European WFD-consistent typologies. Such typologies of water bodies are an effective instrument for transferring local expertise elsewhere.

Contents <subpages

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1. Introduction

2. Objectives

3. Detailed Implementation Plan