FRESHABIT: The LIFE integrated project for restoration of wetland ecosystems at the catchment level

Freshwaters provide multiple natural and cultural ecosystem services, which form the basis of Finnish water heritage. In most cases, the deterioration of freshwater ecosystems is due to a range of interacting background factors at many scales, and reversing the trend requires comprehensive restoration measures in catchment areas and water systems as well. Following this, to preserve our valuable water heritage, the co-operation across human-set boundaries is required. Funding for restoration projects conventionally comes from one or few sources and is often targeted to a given habitat or species. However, enhancing the ecological status of many inter-connected habitats or species usually re…