Module 1 – Implementing and evidencing freshwater and wetland restoration

In this Module you will learn about the philosophy of nature-based solutions, holistic restoration planning and holistic restoration monitoring as well as evaluation.

Enroll for free

Learning outcomes

After going through this Module, you will ...

... understand the latest policies, such as the EU Green Deal and the Nature Restoration Law, that guide freshwater restoration efforts.
... develop skills to plan and scale up freshwater and wetland restoration projects at the basin-wide level.
... be equipped to design and implement effective monitoring programs using various tools to benchmark and track progress.
... gain the ability to assess the impacts of restoration on environmental and socio-economic goals.

Module curriculum

1. The MERLIN Learning Module on “Implementing and evidencing freshwater and wetland restoration”
2. Introduction video
3. Figure – Module 1 overview
1. Sub-Module 1.1 – Overview
2. Nature-based Solutions – concept and criteria
3. The EU Green Deal
4. The EU Nature Restoration Law
5. Sub-Module 1.1 – Test your knowledge
6. Sub-Module 1.1 – Further reading
1. Sub-Module 1.2 – Overview
2. River Basin Management planning
3. National implementation
4. Regional Scalability Plans
5. Sub-Module 1.2 – Test your knowledge
6. Sub-Module 1.2 – Further reading
1. Sub-Module 1.3 – Overview
2. Why monitor? – Theory of change
3. Target setting – SMART targets
4. Monitoring implementation
5. IUCN Self-Assessment Tool
6. Sub-Module 1.3 – Test your knowledge
7. Sub-Module 1.3 – Further reading
1. Sub-Module 1.4 – Overview
2. Monitoring design – BACI
3. Monitoring context
4. Benchmarking impact
5. EU Green Deal criteria
6. Sub-Module 1.4 – Test your knowledge
7. Sub-Module 1.4 – Further reading
1. Sub-Module 1.5 – Overview
2. Biodiversity – quantity and condition
3. Biodiversity – WFD ecological status
4. Free-flowing rivers
5. Climate regulation – greenhouse gas emissions
6. Climate resilience – flood and drought
7. Zero pollution
8. Sub-Module 1.5 – Test your knowledge
9. Sub-Module 1.5 – Further reading
1. Sub-Module 1.6 – Overview
2. Inclusive participation and governance
3. Health and wellbeing
4. Sub-Module 1.6 – Test your knowledge
5. Sub-Module 1.6 – Further reading
1. Sub-Module 1.7 – Overview
2. Farm to fork
3. Sustainable energy
4. Sustainable transport
5. Circular economy
6. Green growth
7. Sub-Module 1.7 – Test your knowledge
8. Sub-Module 1.7 – Further reading
1. Other resources – overview
2. MERLIN webinar – Josef Settele (UFZ): Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Insights from IPBES and IPCC Intergovernmental Processes
3. MERLIN webinar – Kerry Waylen (James Hutton Institute): Monitoring and Evaluation of Nature-Based Solutions – thinking outside the box!
4. MERLIN webinar – Joshua L. Royte (The Nature Conservancy): Freeing rivers – restoration strategies in the state of Maine & implications for expanding the movement in Europe
5. MERLIN webinar – Charles B. van Rees (University of Georgia): Strategic Monitoring to Learn from Nature-Based Solutions and Natural Infrastructure Projects
6. MERLIN webinar – Claire Baffert (WWF European Policy Office) & Eva Mayerhofer (European Investment Bank): The EU nature restoration law: an opportunity for scaling-up the restoration of freshwater ecosystems
7. MERLIN webinar – Tom Buijse (Deltares): Upscaling freshwater ecosystem restoration: the MERLIN approach
8. MERLIN webinar – Wouter van de Bund (European Commission – Joint Research Centre): Barrier removal for river restoration: on the EU ambition of 25.000 km of free-flowing rivers
9. MERLIN webinar – Shane Mc Guinness (University College Dublin): WaterLANDS: Upscaling co-created wetland restoration across Europe
10. MERLIN webinar – Leonard Sandin (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Oslo): Working with Nature-based solutions in the Nordics – going from words to actions
11. MERLIN webinar – Mike Vice & Rob Cunningham (The Nature Conservancy): Upscaling Nature-based Solutions: TNC's Nature for Water program and how it can support your project

About this Module

Free
62 lessons
1.5 hours of video content

And here are your instructors

Module 1 Manager Laurence Carvalho

Laurence is a research leader in the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). He is a freshwater ecologist by training and has worked on many European projects supporting implementation of water and biodiversity policies.

Module 1 Manager Erica Zaja

Erica is an environmental scientist working at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, based in Edinburgh. She specialises in science communication and outreach, content creation and management of teaching and learning resources, and is training in graphic design. Erica coordinates the production of Module 1 of the MERLIN Academy.

Anna Bérczi-Siket

Anna is a senior environmental lawyer and sustainability policy advisor, with a demonstrated history of working in the public administration and civil sector, currently working as an international project lead in the Living Rivers Program at WWF in Hungary. She is engaged in environmental educational exchange programs mainly for judges and skilled in international and European relations, public administration, communication, and negotiation. Anna is also experienced in representing leading sustainability large-scale projects.

Will Brownlie

Will is a senior science project manager specialising in nutrient sustainability at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. He manages the "Up-Cycle" project, developing a sustainable phosphorus management framework for Lakes, and is lead author of the "Our Phosphorus Future" report and supporting media (www.opfglobal.com) developed to raise awareness on phosphorus sustainability. Will has authored key reports and multimedia platforms and provides expert advice to the United Nations on nutrient sustainability.

Miriam Colls

Miriam is a freshwater ecologist from the University of the Basque Country, interested in the relationships between structure and function of stream ecosystems, the linkages of the stream with its catchment, and the effects of natural and man-made disturbances on streams.

Nina Drejerska

Nina is an associate professor at the Institute of Economics and Finance, Warsaw University of Life Sciences. Her research focuses on bio- and circular economy, territorial development, labour economics and workforce dynamics.

Nadine Gerner

Nadine is a biologist working since 10 years at the German water board Emschergenossenschaft/Lippeverband, where she is leading the group “water quality”. Her expertise is aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology and her main fields of work are river restoration, freshwater monitoring and ecosystem services. In these fields she is involved in diverse research activities.

Mateusz Grygoruk

Mateusz is an associate professor at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. His main fields of expertise are hydrology, modelling, groundwater, wetland restoration, wetland management, climatic change and ecosystem services.

Alhassan Ibrahim

Alhassan is an environmental social scientist specialising in freshwater governance and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) at the James Hutton Institute (JHI). He develops frameworks to strengthen stakeholder engagement, inform policy-making, and promote socio-ecological transformation to tackle climate impacts on freshwater ecosystems.

Joanna Lynn Kemp

Joanna is a freshwater ecologist working at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA). Over many years she has worked on rivers in the UK, Italy and Norway and has expertise in freshwater invertebrates and algae. She has a special interest in aquatic habitats and restoration.

Keith Matthews

Keith is a senior researcher at the James Hutton Institute with over 30 years of experience in interdisciplinary research spanning social, natural, and computational sciences. He specialises in land use, climate, and environmental analysis, with expertise in societal metabolism, value chain assessments, and ecosystem restoration. Leading a Land Systems Research Team, he has contributed significantly to studies on land use change, peatlands, carbon sequestration, and environmental impacts, establishing a strong record in policy-relevant, applied research to address pressing sustainability challenges.

Maria Ojanen

Maria Ojanen is an expert of public and stakeholder engagement and works as a Senior Research Scientist at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).

Ellis Penning

Ellis is a leading expert on Nature-based Solutions (NbS), aquatic ecology, and ecohydraulics at Deltares. Her work focuses on upscaling NbS, particularly the role of vegetation in water quality and quantity processes, and she coordinates EU projects like SpongeScapes and SpongeWorks to address the impact of NbS on flood and drought management. She also engages in innovative approaches to aquatic ecosystem restoration, stakeholder-driven solutions, and policy implementation, including the EU Water Framework Directive and the European Green Deal.

Laura Pott

Laura is a junior scientist at the University of Duisburg-Essen, currently working as a co-coordinator in the MERLIN project. Her responsibilities include scientific publications, data acquisition and curation, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. As a trained ecotoxicologist, she has expanded her research beyond river restoration to include the integration of broader European environmental policies.

Axel Schwerk

Axel is a professor at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland. He has a background as ecologist with an interest in population dynamics and landscape ecology. His most recent research deals with the study of the potential of indicators of human-induced changes in ecosystems and landscapes.

Daria Sikorska

Daria is a researcher specialising in ecology and Nature-based Solutions at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. Her work focuses on integrating biodiversity into urban settings, enhancing ecosystem services, and promoting sustainable management of green spaces. She is dedicated to translating scientific knowledge into actionable solutions for resilient and thriving urban environments.

Pawel Trandziuk

Paweł is a scientist at the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Water Management, Warsaw University of Life Sciences. He is an environmental protection specialist by training. His work includes hydrological monitoring of the effects of environmental implementations.

Jenny Williamson

Jenny is a peatland biogeochemist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Her current research focus is mapping and modelling peatland restoration and the impacts of land management change on greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands.