Where should restoration efforts begin? TERRA researchers have created a map showing where the restoration of rivers and wetlands brings the greatest benefits to society

The deadline for European Union member states to submit their National Restoration Plans to Brussels expired a few weeks ago. Portugal was the third country to do so, on August 28. The next step is to decide where to take action. Researchers at the TERRA Associate Laboratory have developed a tool that answers that question for freshwater ecosystems: a map that identifies, across the entire EU, the areas where ecological restoration yields the greatest return in ecosystem services—that is, the most benefits for society.

The study, titled “Spatial assessment of co-benefit restoration priorities for freshwater ecosystems in Europe”, was published in the scientific journal Ecosystems and People. The team began with a simple question: “Where should restoration efforts be focused to maximize benefits for society?”

Valuable but increasingly degraded ecosystems

Rivers, lakes, and wetlands are among the most biodiverse and functionally important environments on the planet. They provide water, regulate floods, retain nutrients, and support activities such as fishing and tourism. However, they are rapidly deteriorating due to a complex set of environmental and human pressures.

European policies aim to reverse this trend, but restoration efforts are often conceived on the scale of a single river segment or project. There is a lack of a comprehensive vision that would allow for the definition of large-scale management strategies.

From complex data to a map that everyone can read

TERRA researchers have developed a four-step methodology that combines data on the state of ecosystems with their capacity to provide services to society. The result is a Restoration Potential Index, represented on a map. Among all the areas in need of restoration, the map highlights those that yield the greatest return in ecosystem services if they are the focus of restoration efforts.

The map is, in and of itself, a management tool. It transforms complex quantitative information into a visual representation that any political or technical decision-maker in the administration can interpret, which facilitates the selection and prioritization of restoration actions.

“This work allows countries to prioritize the restoration of freshwater systems. We were able to determine where restoration is easiest to carry out and where there is the greatest potential for societal benefit. It is a useful tool for managing ecosystems and is crucial for the final version of national restoration plans.” – Paulo Branco, executive director of the TERRA Associate Laboratory, CEF/TERRA researcher.

A direct contribution to the enforcement of the Restoration Regulation

The European Nature Restoration Regulation, known as the Nature Restoration Regulation, requires Member States to implement restoration measures in at least 20% of the EU’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030, and in all ecosystems that require them by 2050. It also calls for the restoration of at least 25,000 kilometers of free-flowing rivers.

With goals of this magnitude, knowing where to start is crucial. Now that the Portuguese plan has been submitted, the tool developed by TERRA researchers can support the transition from planning to action, helping to optimize law enforcement in river ecosystems and strengthening the dialogue between science and public administration.

Full article: https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2026.2716152