Wetland Springs Back to Life After Decades of Decline

A major restoration effort in Ukraine’s Danube Delta has reconnected Lake Kartal to the River Danube, reviving more than 18,000 hectares of wetland and reversing decades of ecological decline.

“When ecosystems here receive enough water, and when that water is clean, nature has an extraordinary ability to heal itself,” said Oleg Dyakov, rewilding officer at Rewilding Ukraine. “Following earlier stages of restoration, we have seen different parts of the landscape bounce back almost immediately.”

The six-year project, funded through the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes programme, removed dams, cleared silted channels, and installed sluice pipes to restore a more natural flow between the Danube and its surrounding floodplain. The final phase, completed in early 2026, reopened more than 5 km of the Luzarza channel, increasing water flow into Lake Kartal by 40% and revitalising around 450 ha of floodplain. Fish populations are recovering, waterbirds are returning in growing numbers, and wetland plants are re-establishing across the landscape. The restoration also strengthens a natural 11-kilometre water loop connecting Lake Kartal with the smaller Lake Kahul. Europe has lost half its wetlands over the past 300 years, making recoveries of this scale increasingly significant. The project offers a model for post-conflict ecological renewal, with improved fish stocks and cleaner water already supporting local fishermen and farmers.