Various types of partners are required to complete a LIFE Programme consortium for the ecological restoration of a Mediterranean River, to enhance the resilience of local ecosystems and urban areas against climate-induced hydrological risks.

Summary

Profile Type: Research & Development Request
POD Reference: RDRES20240523006
Term of Validity: 23 May 2024 - 23 May 2025
Company's Country: Spain
Type of partnership: Research and development cooperation agreement
Targeted Countries: All countries

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General information

Short Summary: The ecological restoration of this typical Mediterranean small-middle-sized (20 Km long) River from a reservoir to its mouth on the coast aims to reinstate the river's natural hydro-morphological conditions, enhancing biodiversity, and reconnecting the river with local communities, contributing thus to the resilience of local ecosystems and urban areas against climate-induced hydrological risks.
Full Description: The proposed project focuses on the ecological restoration of this typical Mediterranean small-middle-sized (20 Km long) River from a reservoir to its mouth on the coast. The initiative aims to reinstate the river's natural hydro-morphological conditions, enhancing biodiversity and reconnecting the river with local communities. The restoration activities will include the removal of invasive species, the planting of native vegetation, and the improvement of flood protections, thus contributing to the resilience of local ecosystems and urban areas against climate-induced hydrological risks.

The project leverages ecological engineering and sustainable landscape management to restore the river's ecosystem. By reintroducing native flora, the project will reduce the dominance of invasive species such as Arundo donax, thereby restoring natural habitats and improving biodiversity. The project will also implement natural water retention measures to mitigate flood risks, demonstrating an innovative integration of nature-based solutions in urban flood management.

The proposal will be submitted under the 2024 call of the EU's LIFE Programme, which aims to support the transition to a sustainable, circular, energy-efficient economy based on renewable energies, and to enhance climate neutrality and resilience. The programme focuses on protecting, restoring, and improving our environment, reversing biodiversity loss, and enhancing ecosystem management through the Natura 2000 network. This aligns perfectly with our project's objectives to restore the Monnegre River's natural environment, making it a prime candidate for this funding opportunity.

The lead applicant for this project is a Spanish Provincial Council with a strong background in environmental management and community engagement. The Council brings substantial experience from previous similar projects, including strategic planning, implementation of nature-based solutions, and stakeholder engagement, making it an ideal lead partner for this initiative under the LIFE Programme.

They seek to collaborate with EU-based organisations with a strong track record in environmental restoration, biodiversity conservation, and integrating community-based approaches into environmental projects, such as local or regional entities experienced in managing natural resources and implementing EU-funded projects, Universities or research institutions specializing in environmental sciences, hydrology, or related fields, capable of contributing advanced scientific research and innovation to the project, NGOs) that focus on nature conservation, sustainable development, and community engagement, to facilitate outreach and educational activities within the project, and engineering firms with expertise in ecological engineering, landscape restoration, and the design and execution of nature-based solutions.

Timescales:

• Official deadline for the call: Projects addressing Nature and Biodiversity, Circular Economy and Quality of Life under the Standard Action Projects (SAPs) must submit by September 19, 2024.
• Deadline for receiving Expressions of Interest (EoI): Interested parties are encouraged to submit their expressions of interest at least one month prior to the final submission deadline to ensure adequate time for partnership finalization.
• Anticipated duration of the project: The project is expected to last 36 months, with planned commencement in early 2025, aligning with the funding period specified by the LIFE Programme for strategic integrated projects (SIPs).
Advantages and Innovations: The renaturalization of the Monnegre River introduces several innovative aspects that set it apart from traditional river restoration projects.

Technologically, the project utilizes advanced ecological engineering techniques and sustainable landscape management to enhance hydro-morphological functionality and biodiversity. This approach not only restores natural habitats but also significantly reduces the risk of flooding in urban areas adjacent to the river, offering considerable economic benefits through reduced damage costs and improved water management systems.

The project is pioneering in its comprehensive integration of community involvement and stakeholder engagement into the restoration process. By doing so, it ensures that the solutions developed are socially sustainable and aligned with local needs, which enhances the long-term viability and maintenance of restored ecosystems.
In terms of environmental impact, the project contributes to the EU's biodiversity strategy by actively restoring natural flora and fauna, which helps to reverse the trend of biodiversity loss. It also improves the ecological status of the river, which is expected to have a positive ripple effect on the surrounding ecosystems.

Quantitatively, the project aims to restore over 22 kilometers of river habitat, which is anticipated to enhance local biodiversity indices by up to 30% based on preliminary studies. Economically, the initial estimates suggest that flood damage costs in the area could decrease by up to 40% post-restoration, making a compelling case for the economic efficiency of investing in nature-based solutions.
Overall, the Monnegre River project exemplifies how modern ecological restoration can be economically viable, socially beneficial, and environmentally essential, setting a benchmark for future projects in Europe and beyond.
Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and CommunitiesGoal 14: Life Below WaterGoal 17: Partnerships to achieve the GoalGoal 13: Climate ActionGoal 6: Clean Water and SanitationGoal 16: Peace and Justice Strong InstitutionsGoal 15: Life on Land

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner: Type of Organization Sought: We are looking to collaborate with a variety of organizations including:

• Local and regional government entities that have implementation capabilities in environmental management.

• Academic and research institutions with experience in ecology, hydrology, environmental engineering, and sustainable development.

• Private entities and NGOs focused on environmental conservation, community engagement, and education, as well as environmental consulting and engineering with experience in ecological restoration and project management.

Activity:

• Government entities must have experience in policy formulation, implementation of environmental projects, and stakeholder engagement within the community.

• Academic institutions must be able to conduct scientific research, contribute to the development of innovative ecological restoration techniques, and provide rigorous monitoring and evaluation frameworks.

• Private entities and NGOs must participate in awareness-raising, community support mobilization, and ensure sustainable project outcomes through educational programs.

Additionally, they must provide technical expertise, oversee project execution, and ensure compliance with regulations and standards.

Role:

• Government entities will design policies and best practices, and will develop project implementation.

• Academic partners will be responsible for the research component, will assess ecological impacts, and will innovate in restoration methodologies.

• Private entities and NGOs will get involved with the project by facilitating its execution, monitoring, and technical follow-up, as well as supporting communication, awareness, and training.
Type and Size of Partner: Big companyOtherR&D InstitutionSME 11-49SME 50 - 249SME <=10University
Type of partnership: Research and development cooperation agreement

Call details

Framework program: Environment (including Climate Change)
Call title and identifier: Framework Progamme: LIFE.
Call Identifiyer: LIFE-2024-CET-SAP (Standard Action Projects for Circular Economy and Quality of Life, and Nature and Biodiversity)
Anticipated project budget: 2,500,000
Coordinator required: No
Deadline for EoI: 19 Aug 2024
Deadline of the call: 19 Sep 2024
Project duration in weeks: 156
Web link to the call: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/programme…

Dissemination

Technology keywords: 10002007 - Environmental Engineering / Technology10004008 - Water Resources Management010002009 - Water Pollution / Treatment10002011 - Soil and Groundwater Pollution
Market keywords: 09003001 - Engineering services09003005 - Consulting services
Targeted countries: All countries