Ems-Dynamik+Habitate - Near-natural river and flood plain development of the River Ems at Einen – river dynamics and habitat diversity

The Ems is one of Germany’s smallest shipable rivers. Its floodplain areas contain a number of species and habitats covered by the Habitat Directive. As a result of previous conservation actions some of the areas within the Ems river floodplain have recently been re-colonised by rare species of fauna. Further river habitat restoration actions are now proposed to reinforce this process. For this purpose, this project aims at the lengthening and widening around 4 km of the river course at Einen, the removing river bank stabilisation structures, thereby facilitating natural river erosion and sedimentation dynamics, the strengthening existing and developing new floodplain areas, the creation uninterrupted passages for fauna and demonstrating best practice in these types of conservation actions.