Welcome to River University 2023
The international River University - 4th Edition:
The 4th edition of the River University took place in Germany from July 31 to August 4, 2023, focusing on water pollution and risk management. We were hosted by the Rewilding Oder Delta, co-organiser of this edition.
Visiting the Oder delta, nearby Szczecin lagoon, discovering outdoor European Amazon – Międzyodrze (map), looking towards middle Odra and further, to its valley, sources in the south, allowed us to see, experience and understand the importance of integrated water management of the whole river basin.
In 2022 Odra river experienced the worst scenario of environmental catastrophe on Europe’s scale, caused by anthropogenic pollution. If nothing will change and no lesson will be taken from this drastic experience the impact will remain with us long-lasting and the scenario may repeat.
How we can prevent such catastrophes? How we can act better when this happens? How might risk management and river restoration help here? What about resilience? These highlights dominated our flow this year, not forgetting the usual river ecology and landscape hydrology.
General information & BACKGROUND:
The River University is an open and international, interdisciplinary course, sharing river ecosystems knowledge via open access, wide availability and understandable-science platform in the Baltic Sea Region and Europe for a variety of participants - river stakeholders: academia staff and students, river practitioners, water-related institutions and official country representatives, consulting/business participants, landscape architects, municipalities, locals and individuals.
River University supports institutional and official knowledge and was founded by Ewa Leś in 2018 under the wings of Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB), where it has been successfully developed through the co-organization with different CCB Member Organizations. The pilot case took place in Poland in 2018. It was then established internationally with the 1st edition in Poland (2020) and the 2nd edition in Lithuania (2021).
31 July to 4 August 2023
Germany
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
The organizer of our stay in Germany:
Peter Torkler, Rewilding Oder Delta.
WHEN:
31 July to 4 August 2023
WHERE:
The course was offline in Germany.
Location: Kutzow See, nearby Szczecin lagoon, Oder delta, Germany
Directions: From Szczecin to Löcknitz by train ca. 20 minutes, from Löcknitz to Kutzow See, transfer to be organised or by own bike (7km). From Berlin to Löcknitz by train ca. 2,5h changing train in Pasewalk or Neubrandenburg.
HOW:
As usual, we combined indoor lectures with outdoor practice on/in the river. A full boat of riverine knowledge was delivered by top lecturers from the best universities, and by practitioners who know rivers simply by working on it tirelessly.
Lectures and presentations were provided in English.
Helping each other (e.g. with translation or other issues) was our key element of teamwork.
WHO:
We invited participants from the EU and Eastern Partnership countries. Knowledge of freshwater ecosystems, rivers in particular was advantageous as the course was oriented towards exchanging knowledge amongst water-related sectors.
Participants were invited to share their concepts of initiatives or projects where the River University knowledge might be applied and be supportive. If a project or initiative needs specific support it's worth expressing it the earliest so we can look into which support we could provide. Also, participants' contribution was important for local cases we experienced and showed you during River University, #regionalsupport. This all ensured that River University delivered useful, applied knowledge, used in your field of practice.
ON SITE (Germany)
Up to 30 participants were invited on the basis of the registration form, to keep our group familiar and comfortable.
REGISTRATION: Closed.
To take part in CCB events, proof of vaccination, or a negative PCR-test is no longer required. However, for each CCB event, participants must observe national regulations. More information in the
CCB Health Risk Guidelines.
Please, DO NOT buy any tickets before getting a confirmation from the organizers.
COSTS:
The course was free of charge.
The costs of the participation (accommodation, travels, meals, lectures and outdoor activities) were covered by CCB.
Refunded costs for participants up to 200 Euro include travel costs for participants from EU Member States, as well as from Eastern Partnership countries.
CCB is not responsible for injury or loss of property during the River University 2023.
Lectures
31 JULY 2023
PETER TORKLER, Rewilding Oder Delta (ROD)
ROBERT CZERNIAWSKI,
Szczecin University
EWA LEŚ,
Coalition Clean Baltic
AARON J NEILL, University of Durham, Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience
FINN VIEHBERG, Greifswald University
ZBIGNIEW KUNDZEWICZ,
Member of Academia Europaea, Poznan University of Life Sciences
2 AUGUST 2023
Pavel Danihelka,
UNECE Joint Expert Group on Water & Industrial Accidents
3 AUGUST 2023
CHRISTIAN WOLTER, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)
Premysl
SOLDAN, T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute
Jeanette Völker, Federal Environmental Agency, Head of Department for Inland Waters
Valerie Kendall, MKO, Ireland
4 AUGUST 2023
ANNA USHAKOVA,
CCB Maritime Working Area Leader
Pictures from the event
Videos from the event
Excursion, the 360° bicycle tour:
During the event, participants visited the forests around Boock in Germany.
The lecturer and participant Aaron Neill created an immersive bicycle tour from this excursion and it is available at this link.
How it works?
You can navigate each scene either by clicking and dragging with the mouse, or by using the buttons at the bottom of the screen. You can also scroll to zoom in and out. To move to the next scene, click the red dot. There will be one dot in each scene, and seven scenes in total.
Media coverage:
- Article in Polish written by Daniel Petryczkiewicz for the Krytyka Polityczna.
- Article in German written by Oliver Hauck for the Nordkurier.
Originator and founder of River University/Rzeczny Uniwersytet (tested in 2018, established internationally in 2020). A biologist by profession, but looking towards people and their perception of the environment. Co-founder of Koalicja Ratujmy Rzeki/Save The Rivers Coalition (KRR), a social initiative for the protection of natural rivers in Poland, gathering the voices of ‘river stakeholders’ into one strong tone. Member of EEB water working group, Observer of International Commission for the Protection of the Odra River against Pollution. Co-creator and coordinator of the first Water Round Table in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Environment (2009-2011). Engaged in creating a Partnership for the Baltic initiative (2007-2011). Particularly working in areas of transboundary rivers, water stakeholders inclusion and engagement, water conflicts, water democracy building. A supporter of NVC dialogue. She comes from her two parental organizations: Society of Friends of Ina and Gowienica rivers and EkoUnia Association.
~ Let’s go with the river flow and learn from each other! ~
The event is part of the
Nature Positive Universities network.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
The River University is one of our annual events.
You can read more about the project and the previous or future editions.