Conservation of alluvial habitats of community interest on the Szabadság Island and side channel in Béda-Karapancsa: Island is covered by alluvial softwood forests with certain invasive (Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Acer negundo) pressure. Until 2009 commercial forestry was going on. The island was connected with the riverbank in 1982 by a rockfill dam, which carried large capacity water pipes. The dam was blocking the river flow in the side-branch, causing fast sedimentation, poor quality of stagnant water and degrading habitats. The forests on the island were cleared 80% from the seed-shedding individuas of the invasives, the 5 ha size poplar plantation was converted to a semi-natural alluvial forest. The waterpipes were relocated, and the rock-fill dam was opened, the large capacity waterpipes were relocated, and the side-branch was dredged along.

The realized improvement of the longitudinal connectivity which brought additional advantages to the biodiversity improvement and recreational uses; the successful cooperation between the various sectors (as project partners: water directorate, waterworks, national park, local government) and stakeholders (foresty agencies, inhabitants of Mohács (closest city), fairway authorities, angler (other recreation) associations); a good monitoring design was established and the relevant biodiversity indicators are monitored. As a biodiversity-focused project brought also other advantages like improvement of improvement in climate regulation, local flood risk reduction, drought mitigation, is able for further filtration of the water thus improving water quality.

Biodiversity health indicators improved and this was one of the first multitaxa approach for quantifying after restoration changes in taxa composition in Hungary and biomonitoring was implemented during and after the restoration measures and no adverse consequences were identified. Improvement of recreational opportunities like rowing or angling is also characteristic, with change of invasives to native species carbon sequestration was increased and flood risk reduced.

Upscaling of the project includes more aspects like people are aware of the ecosystem services of wetlend ecosystems and have successfully worked out strategies and methods of such nature based solutions which can restore the natural dynamics of riverine ecosystems. These solutions are widely supported by goverments and business sectors as well. Only such activities are allowed in floodplains and the river which are in line with natural processes and dynamics of such ecosystems. NBS based restorations are commonly accepted and integratively planned restoration works are finished or in process. Sediment balance is in better state (river management bodies’ consider a jointly developed sediment management plan), more natural hydromorphological processes are ongoing. Freshwater biodiversity is on a recovery track and people can use new opportunities from new economic modells based on natural river dynamics.

"The main stakeholder groups took part in project proposal development and the key stakeholders were also project partners. Also a wider group of stakeholders were invited on 2 stakeholders fora which were held during the project duration, they were interviewed on their expectations and recommendations. Project didn’t improve navigation conditions in the main channel, but it was proven that it doesn’t worsen it as well. The project addressed societal challenges and included significant restoration actions. The projects’ results have benefits for locals active in angling and rowing."

"By planning monitoring of indicators of health & wellbeing were not included in the project, therefore only subjective follow up can be realized. As for biodiversity improvement a general weakness is that invasive species require constant management otherwise it is not only a constraint for biodiversity but also for flood risk and other uses of the area. Maintenance of the navigation route has impacts on the side-branch. The groynes cause sedimentation upstream of it, and this impact is still not mitigated and no safeguards on trade-offs were assessed during the project. Perceived threats result from lack of further funding if unfavourable changes arise in ecosystem integrity (e.g. with the forefront of invasive species) and there is no intention to develop NbS strategy. A balanced climate regulation is threatened by deepening of the main river channel, groine which enables an intensive sedimentation and expansion of the land on the cost of river channel. This process also threatens the flood and drought resilience of the area and hinders opportunities for health & wellbeing for especially local communities which visit usually the project site and its surrounding."