Occasion

The Landshut paradigm

The conservation and restoration of ecologically intact rivers involves enormous and diverse challenges. The Government of Lower Bavaria, higher Nature Conservation Authority, and the Water Management Authority of Landshut combined their efforts in the "Landshut paradigm" and have developed comprehensive ecological concepts for the rivers Vils, Danube and Isar since 1995.

Ecological development concept for the river Isar

In 2010 the largest planning project in terms of surface area to date was initiated - the nearly 30 km long river section between the barrages of Gummering and Ettling. The entire area of the Natura 2000 site "SCI DE7341301 Unteres Isartal zwischen Niederviehbach und Landau" was part of the planning area.
The overall planning was completed in the middle of 2012. Concerning the hydro-ecological revaluation of the regulated and channeled Isar, the focus lies on the heads of the reservoirs, which still possess enough fluid energy in the tailwaters of the barrages to initiate near-natural morphodynamic processes - for example after the removal of bank reinforcements. Besides, large-scale measures were worked out to create and optimize near-natural alluvial forests and extensive meadows typical for floodplains.

Ecological development concept for the river Isar, view of action plan Ecological development concept for the river Isar, view of action plan

The results of the ecological development concept indicated that many of the proposed measures operate in a multifunctional manner concerning the implementation of important EU directives of nature conservation (Habitats Directive) and water management (Water Framework Directive).
The partners of the "Landshut paradigm" have thereupon increased their efforts to bundle the financial resources of nature conservation and water management and specifically use them also for an effective implementation of restoration measures.

Grant application for the LIFE nature project "River Experience Isar"

In August 2013, following several constructive considerations and discussions, the Bavarian State Ministry for Environment and Consumer Protection with its departments for water management and nature conservation decided to fund a joint restoration project and therefore to apply for additional resources from EU's funding program "LIFE". Furthermore the cities of Dingolfing and Landau a.d.Isar, the district of Dingolfing-Landau and the Bavarian Nature Conservation Funds have agreed to participate in the financing of the project. With the professional support of an external consultant office, the Government of Lower Bavaria, higher Nature Conservation Authority, and the Water Management Authority of Landshut developed the project application covering almost 300 pages from January to September 2014. After a one year-long revision period by the EU-commission the application was approved in October 2015. The LIFE Nature Project "River Experience Isar" is the 23rd Bavarian LIFE project with a total budget of about 6,3 Mio €, which is the highest so far.