Bird monitoring (ongoing)
Updated: 1 day ago
Client: VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH
River landscapes are constantly reshaped by the dynamics of flowing waters, as rock and soil are eroded, transported and deposited elsewhere. In many places, this dynamic has been lost due to bank reinforcements and flow regulation; consequently, certain habitats—such as sparsely vegetated gravel beds or sandy eroding banks—have become rare.
River restoration measures can improve the ecological condition and appeal of watercourses. Accordingly, the restoration of the Enns River as part of the "WeNatureEnns" LIFE project is expected to enhance habitats for highly specialized bird species. The project aims to create approximately 20 km of a near-natural river floodplain system along the Enns in Styria—stretching from the confluence of the Sölk to Stainach—through targeted river engineering measures.
The "LIFE Network Danube Plus" project previously demonstrated the positive effects of aquatic ecological measures—implemented along a 12 km bypass river arm near the Altenwörth power plant—on the population densities of gravel-nesting species such as the Little Ringed Plover and the Common Sandpiper. Furthermore, breeding bird species that utilize the eroding faces of cut banks along dynamic rivers to excavate nesting burrows—such as the Kingfisher and the Sand Martin—find suitable habitats along the restored Kamp-Krems watercourse (Schütz & Reckendorfer 2025, in German).
Suske Consulting conducts standardized ornithological surveys of the breeding bird fauna to assess the impact of the restored areas on the birdlife. We publish the results in specialized ornithological journals.
WeNatureEnns project duration: 2025–2031
Life Network Danube Plus fishway aid (Altenwörth Power Plant) project duration: 2022–2026