A nonprofit organization focused on revitalizing Europe's natural landscape is celebrating a major win. Teams are seeing progress after freeing up miles of the continent's rivers and restoring habitats for native plants and animals.
Rewilding Europe announced in early November that its conservation teams were seeing significant positive changes, thanks in large part to the demolition of human-made dams. Their effort to get rid of unnecessary river blockages began in 2024 with the removal of five small dams on the Giovenco River in Italy.
The action allowed more than 6 miles of river to begin flowing freely. Since then, the organization has expanded into other regions, restoring more than 70 miles of free-flowing waterways across the continent.
"Almost every river here was once cleared of natural obstacles and dammed to float timber," said Rewilding Sweden field officer Isak Edström. "Those days are long gone — and our mission now is to bring the rivers of the Nordic Taiga back to life."
Dam and barrier removal can help restore the natural balance of the river ecosystem. Free-flowing waters are cooler, creating optimal conditions for native species to thrive. That helps combat the effects of climate change by encouraging native species to remain in their home habitats rather than migrate to regions where they could become invasive.
Teams with Rewilding Europe took advantage of the prime habitat conditions they had created. In Italy, around 12,000 native fish were introduced into the ecosystem. Efforts were scaled up in Sweden, with 200,000 native fish released into various rivers throughout the country.
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"Removing dams, which really choke rivers, is critical," said one team leader with Rewilding Apennines. "Demolishing these barriers allows rivers to breathe again and better support nature and people. In the face of climate change, we must treat free-flowing freshwater as a precious resource to be cherished."
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