Strasbourg, France
City population: 468195
Duration: 2010 – 2014
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature
Last updated: October 2021

The Rohrschollen island, located near Strasbourg, is representative of a particular environment in Europe: the Rhine alluvial forests. These forests are known for the exuberance of their vegetation and their richness of species: it is a rare ecosystem both at the national and European level. These forests are regressing nowadays and as a result, the four major European rivers from the Alpine range (Rhine, Rhone, Danube, Po) have lost most of their riparian forests. The objective of the project is to restore a dynamic flood regime on the island of Rohrschollen that is modeled on the Rhine's hydrological rhythm (Ref. 1).

A small island surrounded by a body of water
http://www.capitale-biodiversite.fr/experiences/restauration-de-la-dynamique-des-habitats-alluviaux-rhenans-sur-lile-du-rohrschollen

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • Blue infrastructure
  • Riverbank/Lakeside greens
  • Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries

Key challenges

  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Improvements to water quality
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity restoration
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental and climate justice
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of natural heritage

Focus

Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas

Project objectives

The aim is to restore the functionality of the local ecosystem by re-allowing regular flooding on the island from the Rhine and so restore the remarkable natural habitats present in the nature reserve (Ref. 2). More specifically project aims to restore the alluvial forests along the four main rivers (Rhine, Rhone, Danube, Po) that originate in the Alps to encourage the preservation of several protected species (included in Appendices I and II of the EU's Habitats and Birds Directives) (Ref. 1). "The LIFE nature project "Restoration of the dynamics of alluvial Rhine habitats on the island of Rohrschollen" initiated by the city of Strasbourg aims to restore the natural forest on this island both to preserve biodiversity but also to participate in the maintenance of quality of alluvial groundwater" (Ref. 7). By restoring these key habitats, the project aims to encourage several species included in Appendices I and II of the Habitats and Birds Directives (Council Directives 79/409 EEC and 92/43 / EEC) that are consisted within the EU's LIFE+ Nature's Natura 2000 network (Ref. 2, 15). The protected species include the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), the Great Egretta (Egretta alba), the Crested Triton (Triturus cristatus) and the River Loche (Cobitis taenia), which is rare on the alluvial Rhine-Ried-Bruch Department of Bas-Rhin (Ref. 1).

Implementation activities

The City of Strasbourg filed an application to the EU LIFE + Nature program in 2008 after the forests had lost their alluvial character; it was accepted in 2010 (Ref. 2, 15). The project's main action was to create a water intake structure on the southern part of the island (a feed channel 1.2km long dug through the forest between the Rhine and Bauerngrundwasser), (Ref. 4, 5) enabling the supply of the island's hydrographic network to flow from the Rhine. This structure provides a flow varied from 5 to 80m³/s, depending on the natural hydrological conditions of the Rhine. The connectivity between the hydrographic network of the island and the Rhine was complemented by works on the 2 branches of the main river in order to restore its exchanges with the river. The project was focused on restoring essential habitats for the regeneration of the forest's alluvial dynamics. Preparatory work began 01/01/2010 and on-site work in 2013, and the project ended on 31/12/2014 (Ref. 1). Pre-restoration monitoring Pre-restoration scientific monitoring included: Historical and paleoenvironmental study; Geomorphological monitoring; Hydraulic and hydrological monitoring; Hydrogeological monitoring; Ecological monitoring (Ref. 4). "The researchers' work here consists in analyzing the links between the size of the sediments, the speed of the flow, the thickness of the water layer and the distribution of macroinvertebrates in the channel to understand the dynamics of recolonization of the new channel" (Ref. 8). Science communication is also a part of the project and tours to the general public were offered upon the opening of the site (Ref. 8).

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
  • Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
  • Restore native species
  • Restore valued species
  • Restore endangered species
  • Clear and control invasive alien species
  • Restore ecological connectivity

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Other

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The project was "initiated by the city of Strasbourg" (Ref. 17). The LIFE + project "Restoration of dynamics of Rhine alluvial habitats on the island of Rohrschollen" is funded by the European Commission under the Nature component of the LIFE + program. It is also co-financed by the Rhine-Meuse Water Agency, the Bas-Rhin Department, the DREAL Alsace, the Electricité de France, the Alsace Region and the City of Strasbourg (Ref. 12). Monitoring is undertaken by the City of Strasbourg in partnership with University of Strasbourg, National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Laboratoire Image City Environment (LIVE), National School of Engineers of Water and Environment of Strasbourg (ENGEES) ICUBE laboratory Zone Urban Environmental Workshop (ZAEU), National Institute of Applied Sciences (INSA) in Strasbourg, and the University of Freiburg im Breisgau (Ref. 2).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (By restoring these key habitats, the project aims to encourage several species included in Appendices I and II of the Habitats and Birds Directives (Council Directives 79/409 EEC and 92/43 / EEC) that are consisted within the EU's LIFE+ Nature's Natura 2000 network (Ref. 2, 15). The protected species include the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), the Great Egretta (Egretta alba), the Crested Triton (Triturus cristatus) and the River Loche (Cobitis taenia), which is rare on the alluvial Rhine-Ried-Bruch Department of Bas-Rhin (Ref. 1).)
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€2,000,000 - €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • EU funds
  • Public local authority budget
  • Corporate investment

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved water quality
  • Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Increased number of species present
  • Increased protection of threatened species
  • Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
  • Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Protection of natural heritage
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

References

(1) Capitales Francaisees de la Biodiversite. (2010). Restauration de la dynamique des habitats alluviaux Rhénans sur l’ile du Rohrschollen. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).
(2) Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. Projet LIFE+ Ile du Rohrschollen: 2010-2015. (Document attached).
(3) Reserve Naturelle Ile Du Rohrschollen. [no date]. Présentation. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).
(4) Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. LA RESTAURATION de l’île du Rohrschollen: 2010-2015. (Document attached).
(5) Strasbourg Eurometropole. (2013). Communiqué de presse: Travaux de restauration de l’Ile du Rohrschollen: Début effectif des travaux : le 1er juillet 2013. (Document attached).
(6) Strasbourg Eurometropole. [no date]. LES TRAVAUX DE RESTAURATION de l’Île du Rohrschollen:JUIN 2013 - JANVIER 2014. (Document attached).
(7) Zone Atelier. [no date]. Site du Rohrschollen. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).
(8) Reserve Naturelle Ile Du Rohrschollen. [no date]. Le suivi scientifique. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).
(9) Strasbourg Eurometropole. (2015). 3 & 4 MARS 2015: STRASBOURG / CITÉ DE LA MUSIQUE ET DE LA DANSE: COLLOQUE. (Document attached).
(10) EDF. (2010). Ile du Rohrschollen : EDF / Unité de Production Est et la protection de la biodiversité. (Document attached).
(11) Eschbach, David. Lonchampt, Frédéric. Schmitt, Laurent. Trémolieres,Michèle. Grac, Corinne. Finaud-Guyot, Pascal. and Beisel, Jean-Nicolas. (2014). Université de Rouen. Mont-Saint-Aignan. Restauration fonctionnelle d’une annexe hydraulique rhénane : le Bauerngrundwasser sur l’île du Rohrschollen. DOI: 10.13140/2.1.1510.7201 (Document attached).
(12) Source link. (2014). Ile du Rohrschollen : mise en eau exceptionnelle ce mardi. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).
(13) Secrétariat du Conseil. (2011). Avis n"47 Restauration de la dynamique des habitats alluviaux Présentation du projet rhénans de la Réserve Naturelle Nationale de t'Île du Rohrschollen (Bas-Rhin) (Document attached).
(14) Schmitt L., Serouilou J., and Beisel J.-N. Les projets de restauration du Rhin Supérieur : vers la mise en place d'un observatoire transfrontalier et transdisciplinaire ? Strasbourg. (Document attached).
(15) Conseil Municipal de Strasbourg. (2009). Délibération du Conseil Municipal du lundi 9 novembre 2009. (Document attached).
(16) Lemahieu, Fabienne. (2014). L'île du Rohrschollen retrouve enfin le Rhin. Entretien. Laurent Schmitt, professeur de géographie physique à l'université de Strasbourg, coordinateur du suivi scientifique du projet Life + (1) : « On a oublié les services que nous rendait le fleuve ». Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).
(17) Cabassy, Jean-Noël. (2015). Dijon: la création forestière pédagogique biodiverse des écoliers dijonnais. Bourgogne (Fr). Année scolaire 2011-2012. Available at: Source link (Accessed: September 24, 2020).