Rivers are among the most vulnerable ecosystems in the world. The fragmentation caused by dams and weirs, often built to generate electricity, has serious effects on ecology, geology and material cycles. In Europe, for example, only a few rivers meet the goal of good ecological status set out in the Water Framework Directive. In order to address the challenge of improving the ecological status of rivers without neglecting their potential to generate renewable energy, researchers from across Europe have joined forces in the EU research projects AMBER and FIThydro. The Chair Group of Production and Resource Economics (PuR) is represented in the FIThydro project.

With the objective of presenting essential project results to a broad public, the consortium members of both research projects organized a joint webinar on June 29, entitled "Smart Ways to Improve Connectivity". Numerous researchers from both projects, including Terese Venus from the PuR chair group, presented their work on the impacts dams and other barriers have on ecosystems and habitats, as well as the way novel technologies and adaptive management can help restore stream connectivity in more efficient way. Speakers and organizers were delighted to welcome a total of 500 webinar participants.