SWEDEN (News release) -- Several tributaries of the Gimån river in Jämtland, Sweden, are being restored in a project that aims to recreate habitats for aninals like freshwater pearl mussels, trout and otters. The initiative is part of the EU project Rivers of LIFE. SCA is involved as a landowner and is also carrying out its own measures.

Rivers of LIFE is a major conservation project within EU that will run until 2025 and aims to protect and recreate nature conservation values that are present or have been present in the aquatic environment. The project will restore habitats that were changed during the era when streams were used to transport timber, and restore parts of rivers and watercourses in Jämtland and Gävleborg.

"In Jämtland, we are restoring parts of the Gimån river and its tributaries and sections of the Ljusnan river between Hedeviken and Svegssjön," explains Håkan Blomqvist, nature conservation expert at SCA Forest.

The project is mainly being run by the county administrative boards, but SCA is one of several landowners and is also planning its own measures.

SCA is also the landowner of a demonstration site that is included in the project. At the site, SCA and the Swedish Forest Agency have set up Fjällbäcken, which demonstrates how to respect the aquatic environment in the forestry.

Another major collaborative water conservation project is also taking place in Norrland.

"The EU project Ecostreams for LIFE is a collaborative project between the county administrative boards in Jämtland, Västernorrland and Västerbotten. This project will run between 2021 and 2026 and is the largest water conservation project of its kind ever to take place in Sweden. Again, SCA is participating as a landowner," explains Håkan.