To those seeking to mobilise private or blended finance alongside public support in restoration projects: this briefing helps you understand how investors assess risk, structure, and impact. Find it on our website: project-merlin.eu/files/merlin...
We are still releasing some podcasts! This week's episode ๐๏ธ ๐๐ฃ.๐ญ๐ฑ โ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ป๐? shares key insights from the panel discussion at our policy event held in Brussels in March 2026.
๐ Tune in here: project-merlin.eu/podcasts.html
๐ Last month, WaterLANDS contributed to a policy event in Brussels on water resilience, alongside fellow restoration projects, coinciding with the final meeting of @merlin-project.bsky.social
๐Read more on the event here: waterlands.eu/news-and-eve...
#NatureRestoration #WaterResilience #wetlands
This policy brief explores the opportunities and challenges of mainstreaming nature-based approaches across all economic sectors, highlighting the need to strengthen coordination and collaboration to achieve freshwater restoration.
๐ Download here: project-merlin.eu/policy-brief...
๐ ๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ฐ is online! You will learn how the MERLIN Upscaling Workflow and the web app can be used to plan, assess and prioritise freshwater restoration and Nature-based Solutions across Europe under the #NatureRestorationRegulation.
๐ Check it out on the MERLIN Academy: merlinacademy.thinkific.com
The revision of the #WaterFrameworkDirective should not weaken existing environmental protections. Instead, it should focus on improving implementation and enforcement to ensure all EU waters reach good ecological status.
๐ Feedback open until ๐ญ๐ฐ ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ: ec.europa.eu/info/law/bet...
Our final meeting was held in Ghent on March 11-12, marking the culmination of five years of collaboration, ambition, and shared purpose. We share with you some of the MERLIN outcomes, which will help inform and support the implementation of the #NRR. Available at: project-merlin.eu/deliverables...
Who else joined the #WorldWaterRun yesterday to celebrate #WorldWaterDay? ๐
No need to run... We walked 13 km along the Schwechat, starting in Baden, Austria, and following the river into the Helenental. It's a tributary of the Danube, and such a beautiful place to spend the day outdoors.
One of the highlights of the policy event in Brussels co-organised with #SpongeWorks, #SpongeScapes, and @waterlandsh2020.bsky.social, was bringing forward the voices of practitioners.
Experiences, challenges, solutions and key policy messages are summarised in this video: youtu.be/8AbxtirFuXk?...
At our joint policy event in Brussels we shared key learnings to help shape the implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation. In this video, @danielheringude.bsky.social highlights MERLIN's recommendations.
๐ You can also read the full post on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
โช
๐ณ Do you want to contribute to research on how humans perceive forests? Take this quick, anonymous 10-min survey ๐ฒ
๐ www.biodiful.org#/forest
This will help us explore how people experience forest biodiversity!
Please share on ๐ฆ & tag @biodiful.bsky.social to reach more participants ๐๐
๐๐๐ฆค๐ฆ๐ชด๐๐งช
Panel discussion at a policy event on freshwater restoration and wetlands in Europe, featuring speakers from the European Commission (DG AGRI, DG ENV) and Ecologic Institute, seated on stage in front of a presentation screen displaying speaker profiles.
๐ง Who will pay for Europeโs freshwater restoration?
At the final events, the @merlin-project.bsky.social discussed how to finance large-scale restoration โ from CAP funding and private finance to value chains for restoration.
Key takeaway: Europe must increase investment in freshwater restoration.
We missed you Kerry!! Thanks for sharing ๐
I am happy to hear that the final meeting of @merlin-project.bsky.social is going well in Ghent today (and sorry not to be there!). A key insight is that responding to the climate & biodiversity emergencies involve partnerships across sectorsโ people drive #Nature-based Solutions."
Today we've been discussing big issues in the science and policy of freshwater restoration with @merlin-project.bsky.social in Brussels.
A dreamy PhD position in Scotland, combining river restoration and Nature-based Solutions: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
๐ Europe's rivers & wetlands are among its most damaged ecosystems โย shaped by decades of drainage, straightening & pollution.
๐ฌ Two new studies from the @merlin-project.bsky.social project ask: what actually works in freshwater restoration, and is EU farming policy helping?
These events are focusing on helping to shape upcoming EU policies and initiatives related to the ocean and waters, in particular the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters, the European Ocean Pact, and the European Water Resilience Strategy.
๐ research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/events/upcom...
Ellis Penning taking part in a panel discussion today on the #WaterResilienceStrategy at the ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ข๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ป๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐บ in Brussels.
Petition to support the ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ of the Buk Bijela Environmental Impact Assessment, which seriously underestimates the project's ecological impacts.
๐ Full review: www.researchgate.net/publication/...
โ๏ธ Sign here by ๐ฌ๐ฐ.๐ฌ๐ฏ.๐ฎ๐ฒ at 12:00 (noon): docs.google.com/forms/d/1uDh...
How is the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023โ2027 supporting the restoration of freshwater ecosystems? Read about the choices made by the EU Member States in their CAP Strategic Plans: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1488...
Final Call ๐จ Proposals for the 15th European Conference on Ecological Restoration to submit latest on March 1st: sere2026.sciencesconf.org/resource/pag...
Looking for practice-informed guidance for embedding restoration in complex social-ecological systems? This paper identifies key factors enabling the systemic upscaling of freshwater restoration through Nature-based Solutions across Europe: natureconservation.pensoft.net/article/1489...
As we prepare everything for the upcoming meeting in Belgium, we're also keeping an eye on the #WorldWaterRun taking place on World Water Day, 22 March. It's a great opportunity to run along your closest river or... if you have knee problems, to walk instead ๐
๐ More info here: www.runblue.org
Weโve been collaborating with @danubelifelines.bsky.social to create a series of short videos about river ecology. These are the #FridayFacts and you can find the whole series here: danubelifelines.eu/news/videos
๐ Europeโs freshwaters are in crisis โ and small projects wonโt fix them
๐ง Why we need to scale up freshwater restoration and rethink how we fund it
๐บ๏ธ From local pilots โก๏ธ continent-wide action
๐ freshwaterblog.net/2026/02/17/s...
@merlin-project.bsky.social
We've got some news! At the ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐, we have been working on translations of our Learning Modules to expand their accessibility.
๐ Module 2 is now available with German ๐ฉ๐ช, French ๐ซ๐ท, and Spanish ๐ช๐ธ subtitles: merlinacademy.thinkific.com
Other modules will follow soon.
Eawag 2-year postdoc fellowship in Switzerland. Funding for Independent projects hosted in one of the research departmentsโฆ come join us in Switzerland ๐จ๐ญ! apply.refline.ch/673277/1335/...
A new petition calls on European leaders to defend the laws that protect people and nature, not bow to polluters and vested interests: handsoffnature.eu?utm=.share.c...
Signing will take you less than 1 minute.
Make a difference!
Join the dynamic and successful NPAP team, aiming for #HighNatureLowCarbon
Submit by 1/3/26
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swyddi.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/vacancyinfor....
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@natreswales.bsky.social
#GreenJobs #jobs #Wales #environment