On 22 April 2026, the President of DANUBEPARKS, Dr. Vlatko Rožac (Kopački Rit Nature Park, Croatia), visited the Paradeisinsel restoration site in Donau-Auen National Park, Austria. The site is one of three demonstration areas of the ambitious Horizon Europe project Danube4all, in which DANUBEPARKS is an active partner.
The visit marked Dr. Rožac’s first opportunity to experience the site on the ground and to follow the progress of this remarkable restoration effort, to which DANUBEPARKS is contributing through its technical expertise and coordination.
Located along the Upper Danube, the project focuses on the removal of embankments along 2,7 km and adaptation of 15 groynes to restore hydrological connectivity, enable natural riverbank development, and support adjacent floodplain forests. DANUBEPARKS was responsible for the technical planning of the restoration measures, which laid the foundation for the current implementation phase.
To realize the full ambition of the project, additional funding has been successfully mobilized through strong partnerships. Support from the European Open Rivers Programme received by DANUBEPARKS enables the removal of 15 groynes that currently obstruct the side channel behind the Paradeisinsel complex. At the same time, Donau-Auen National Park secured further funding through the INTERREG Danube Rest project to complete the final section of embankment removal.
This combination of three complementary funding streams demonstrates how coordinated action and strategic cooperation can unlock large-scale restoration potential along the Danube.
Following the successful completion of all permitting procedures, the Austrian waterway authority viadonau launched the construction phase with a high-level event in March 2026, attended by Federal Minister Peter Hanke. Since then, works have been progressing steadily: several groynes have already been removed, and initial sections of the embankment have been opened, allowing the river to regain space and natural dynamics.
With construction ongoing and completion planned for mid-2027, the Paradeisinsel site is set to become a flagship example of integrated river restoration, showcasing how nature-based solutions, cross-sectoral cooperation, and international partnerships can deliver tangible results for biodiversity and river resilience.