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A gigantic initiative to restore degraded parts of Italy’s Po River is a big step closer after it was included in the Italian government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which was submitted to the European Commission for final approval.
 
Developed by WWF and the Italian aggregates association (ANELPA) in collaboration with the Po River Basin Authority and the Interregional Agency for the Po (AIPO), the €357 million project aims to ‘renature’ 44 areas in the middle reaches of the river and the delta – including restoring 1,500 hectares of wetlands and 340 hectares of forest, reopening oxbow lakes, lowering navigation groynes, and controlling invasive alien plants.
 
“This ambitious project is critical for the long term health of the Po River basin and climate adaptation in northern Italy,” said Andrea Agapito Ludovici, WWF-Italy’s Water Project Manager. “It has been approved by the river basin authority and the Italian government – all we need now is the final approval of the European Commission.”
 
“We are hopeful since the project is in line with the new EU Biodiversity Strategy, which aims to reconnect 25,000 km of European rivers,” added Agapito Ludovici.
 
The project stretches from the province of Pavia to Rovigo, encompassing Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto and will improve the flow of the river by lowering navigation groynes, restore the natural structure of banks and river beds, reactivate side branches and oxbows and promote natural reforestation to consolidate and extend the existing forested areas.
 
“This is exactly the type of large-scale Nature-based Solution we need in Europe – one that will boost build the recovery and build resilience by enhancing the health of our rivers and wetlands,” said Eva Hernandez, WWF Lead, Living European Rivers initiative. "It will also give a major boost to threatened freshwater biodiversity."
 
If approved, the Po River Basin District Authority will coordinate the implementation of the project and will promote the establishment of a working group in which the Regions, AIPo, as well as all competent public authorities, scientific institutions and non-institutional actors, such as WWF and ANEPLA and other territorial stakeholders will participate. The governance identified will also promote and guarantee a participatory process for the design and implementation of interventions.