EUROLakes is a Mission Ocean project which main goal is to propose an innovative, holistic and science-based approach to safeguarding and restoring European natural lakes and their ecosystems.
Through establishing local communities of practice, EUROLakes will apply the principles of co-creation and inclusivity to develop and showcase novel, integrated protection and restoration solutions, focusing particularly on nature-based solutions (NBS).
Start – 01 September 2024
End – 31 August 2028
13 partners, 7 European countries
€ 3 819 768.75
48 Months
Horizon Europe (HORIZON-MISS-2023-OCEAN-01-04)
€ 3 911 193.75
Innovation Action (IA)
This project builds upon the 4 Returns Framework for Landscape Restoration – a practical methodology designed to seek sustainable, long-term solutions at the landscape level, with the aim of achieving four types of returns: inspiration, social benefits, natural restoration, and financial gains.
This holistic approach is implemented through five key elements: establishing a landscape partnership, fostering shared understanding, collaboratively envisioning the landscape, taking coordinated action, and continuously monitoring and learning.
These approaches will be complemented by modeling activities and the dissemination of knowledge regarding nature finance, contributing to a comprehensive adaptive management strategy aimed at restoring the ecological and chemical health of natural lakes to a “good” status.
Showcase the efficiency and effectiveness of management strategies and Nature Based Solutions in restoring water quality.
Demonstrate the replicability effectiveness of lake restoration as a nature-based solution, enhancing species conservation and water quality.
Strategic implementation of formally scattered actions to effective lake protection and restoration through a nature-based approach.
Showcase the efficiency and effectiveness of management strategies and Nature Based Solutions in restoring water quality.
Demonstrate the replicability effectiveness of lake restoration as a nature-based solution, enhancing species conservation and water quality.
Strategic implementation of formally scattered actions to effective lake protection and restoration through a nature-based approach.
Watch the official informational video of EUROLakes project. Learn the project’s objectives and the pathway to the innovative natural lakes’ protection and restoration measures we will apply.
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Learn the latest updates from EUROLakes’ partners work to promote the project and disseminate the results.
20 August 2026 marked an important new milestone for EUROLakes as the project welcomed three newly selected replication lake initiatives from Türkiye and Albania. Their onboarding marks the beginning of
Delivering effective restoration is rarely limited to implementing technical solutions alone. Often time, it means understanding the shortcomings first, learn, adapt and improve along the way. Along the lines of
June 19, 2026 was an important day for the EUROLakes consortium who gathered for its first formal project review meeting, marking an important milestone in its mission towards restoring Europe's
© U. Marxmeier As one of the EUROLakes demonstration sites, Lake Dümmer is showing how hands‑on environmental education can transform local engagement and strengthen long‑term stewardship for freshwater ecosystems. Ökologische
