Brief description of the project

Wetlands in Europe are vulnerable interconnected environments, hugely contributing to biodiversity. Their protection intertwines scientific-environmental aspects and governance concerns. WETNET tackles the issue of implementing a multilevel governance for MED wetlands in order to achieve overall and network effects on wetlands ecosystems as well as on connected local systems. The project aims at ensuring higher coordination between different levels of spatial planning and authorities in charge for their management, whilst limiting conflicts between preservation issues and economic activities.

Role of GRC

Through the project, the Region will:

• Strenghten the protection and proper management of Gozo’s valley and watercourses, preserving the fragile riverine system as strategic resting system for the birds migration.
• Build capacity and knowledge in the management of these pivotal areas and their ecosystems, in order to better design action strategies and testing small intervention of river and environmental restoration.
• Develop a large transnational network of protected wetlands area and managing authorities, aiming at exchanging and transfer experiences, expertise and best practices with closer and more climatically similar situations.
• Share the project’s results with public and private stakeholders including local councils and the Ministry for Gozo and disseminate information on wetlands preservation among institutions and communities.