Reviving Freshwater Pearl Tender

Start Date 01092021End Date 31082027Total Budget 15855293 EU Contribution 9513175 PROJECT DESCRIPTIONBACKGROUNDThe freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera is assessed globally as an endangered species by the IUCN. In the EUs Habitats Directive it is recognised as a priority species and listed in annexes II and V with the conservation status assessed as unfavourable-bad across the Boreal biogeographical region. Without action the freshwater pearl mussel will become extinct in most of its current distribution area. Finland Estonia and Sweden have national conservation strategies and action plans to improve the species conservation status. This project brings together these strategies actions and the relevant authorities enhancing the simultaneous and coordinated implementation of the existing conservation strategies and action plans.OBJECTIVESThe objective of the LIFE Revives project is to improve the ecological conditions in all prioritised target rivers representing 7 of freshwater pearl mussel populations across Finland Sweden and Estonia. Consequently the aim is to achieve favourable conservation status and adequate recruitment i.e. the addition of new individuals to populations after the project for at least 17 of freshwater pearl mussel populations in these countries. Ensuring ecological connectivity requires including some rivers outside the Natura 2000 network.RESULTSExpected resultsConservation status improved andor adequate recruitment achieved in the 56 target rivers about 25 of freshwater pearl mussel populations in Finland nearly 4 in Sweden and 100 in Estonia 10 years after the project almost doubling the number of mussel populations with favourable conservation status in these countries.- Almost 120 km of river habitats restored for freshwater pearl mussels and salmonids improving ecological conditions including 3 250 restored spawning beds for salmonid fish 55 km of re-bouldered rapid areas 3 km of sediment settling pools Migration obstacles removed from 61 sites Current deflectors constructed for 62 km of rivers and 240 experimental pilot sites kindergartens used as release sites for captive-bred juvenile freshwater pearl mussels KEYWORDS aquatic ecosystem environmental impact of forestry freshwater ecosystem invertebrate migratory species monitoring biodiversity forestry forest management restoration measure river management river