The International Conference on the Conservation of High Mountain Lakes and Mires & 2nd International Meeting on the Conservation of High Mountain Lakes will take place in Vielha (Val d’Aran, Catalan Pyrenees) on 28, 29 and 30 October.

The conference will bring together specialists, primarily from the scientific and technical sectors, working on the conservation and ecological restoration of high mountain lakes, ponds, streams, peatlands, mires and other aquatic ecosystems. These environments are increasingly affected by pressures arising from climate change, hydrological alterations, land-use changes and the introduction of invasive species.

The aim of the event is to share the latest advances in this field. These include those linked to the LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project (2022–2026), through which a range of ecological restoration actions have been carried out across four Natura 2000 sites in the Pyrenees and the Alps. Key actions include the removal of introduced fish from mountain lakes, the functional restoration of peatlands and wet meadows, improvements to grazing management in these ecosystems, and the recovery of particularly sensitive species such as amphibians, mammals and aquatic invertebrates. In addition to presenting the outcomes achieved, including biodiversity recovery results, participants will share protocols and methodologies that could be applied in other regions of the world.

A program with international experts

The invited speakers include Roland Knapp (University of California), a world-leading expert in high mountain lake restoration and amphibian conservation; Helge Bardal (Norwegian Veterinary Institute), a specialist in the eradication of invasive species in freshwater ecosystems; Borja Jiménez-Alfaro (University of Oviedo), a leading researcher in plant biodiversity and mountain mire ecology; as well as researchers Lucia Bello and Rocco Tiberti (University of Calabria), specialists in the conservation of high mountain lakes and directly involved in the LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project. The program also includes contributions from representatives of the project partners and the protected areas where the restoration actions have been implemented.

The conference scientific committee comprises Teresa Buchaca and Marc Ventura (CEAB-CSIC), Rocco Tiberti (University of Calabria), Aaron Pérez-Haase (University of Barcelona) and Quim Pou-Rovira (Sorelló). They are responsible for ensuring the scientific quality of a program that will bring together some of the leading international specialists in the field.

The third and final day of the event will be devoted to a field visit to Muntanyó d’Àrreu Lake and the Clots de Rialba mires, two of the sites where LIFE RESQUE ALPYR has delivered ecological restoration actions. The excursion will allow participants to observe first-hand the results of the interventions carried out and to exchange experiences on the management and conservation challenges facing some of Europe’s most unique and vulnerable mountain ecosystems.

Further information and the full program are available via this link.

Restoring Unique Ecosystems in the Pyrenees and the Alps

High mountain aquatic and semi-aquatic ecosystems, including lakes, ponds, streams, peatlands and mires, support highly specialised biodiversity adapted to extreme environmental conditions. Despite their exceptional ecological value, they are among the habitats most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and other human-induced pressures.

These environments provide essential ecosystem services, including water and carbon storage, hydrological regulation, and the conservation of numerous rare or threatened species. Their protection is therefore considered a priority at the European level.

In this context, the LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project has contributed to generating scientific knowledge and management tools that can support the restoration and conservation of these ecosystems in other mountain areas across the Pyrenees, the Alps and elsewhere in Europe.

The event took place on 25 September at the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) and, this year, focused on the conservation and restoration of ecosystems, under the theme “Knowledge at the service of nature”.

The evening began at the Enric “Kike” Ballesteros Auditorium with an introduction to the main concepts, questions and challenges related to the conservation and restoration of the natural environment. Afterwards, the activities moved to the Centre’s terrace, where participants had the opportunity to learn about various research projects, take part in outreach activities and talk directly with the scientific teams.

Among the participating projects was LIFE RESQUE ALPYR, which works to conserve and restore high mountain aquatic ecosystems in the Pyrenees and the Alps and protect the biodiversity they support. Through different conservation and restoration actions in the field, the project aims to reverse some of the impacts threatening these ecosystems and promote their recovery.

The LIFE RESQUE ALPYR activity introduced the public to the reality of high mountain aquatic ecosystems and the challenges they face. Through direct interaction with the project team, participants were able to discover why restoring these habitats is necessary, what actions are currently being carried out and how scientific research helps guide their recovery and conservation.

Participation in the Nit del CEAB was therefore an opportunity to bring this work closer to the public and to show how scientific knowledge can be translated into concrete conservation and restoration actions in the field, illustrating the theme that guided this year’s event: “Knowledge at the service of nature”.

In a friendly and participatory atmosphere, attendees were able to ask questions, share their concerns and reflect together on current and future environmental challenges, as well as on the role that science can play in addressing them.

A recently published article in Eco.Mont – Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management helps answer these questions. The paper summarizes the ecological context of the project, the main conservation challenges facing high-mountain aquatic ecosystems, and the restoration actions being implemented through LIFE RESQUE ALPYR.

Unique Yet Vulnerable Ecosystems

Mountain lakes, peatlands and wet meadows are among Europe’s most unique ecosystems. Despite covering relatively small areas, they host highly specialized biodiversity adapted to demanding and often extreme environmental conditions.

Over recent decades, these habitats have been exposed to numerous pressures. One of the most significant has been the introduction of fish into lakes that were historically fishless. The presence of trout and minnows has altered natural food webs and caused significant impacts on amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.

At the same time, overgrazing, the abandonment of traditional mowing, and forest encroachment into wetland areas have contributed to the progressive degradation of peatlands and wet meadows of high ecological value.

More Than Habitat Restoration

The article highlights a key idea: restoring an ecosystem does not simply mean protecting the species that live there. It means restoring the ecological relationships that keep it alive and functioning.

Several previous studies have shown that the recovery of aquatic communities can generate positive effects beyond the lakes themselves, benefiting species that depend on insects associated with these ecosystems, such as insectivorous bats and the Pyrenean desman.

Although the project’s final results will be presented in the coming months, this publication helps explain the questions that gave rise to LIFE RESQUE ALPYR and the scientific foundations behind each of its actions.

Reference: Buchaca, T., Tiberti, R., Pladevall-Izard, E., Bello, L., Mattioli, G., Pérez-Haase, A., Pou-Rovira, Q., Riera, C. i Ventura, M. (2026). The Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems in the Alps and Pyrenees: A Case Study from the LIFE RESQUE ALPYR Project. eco.mont – Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, 18(2S). https://doi.org/10.1553/eco.mont-18-2s44

Giorgia Mattioli, from the University of Pavia, presented a poster illustrating the eradication dynamics of alien fish from 15 lakes in the Italian Alps, four already eradicated by the LIFE BIOAQUAE project and the remaining eleven addressed by the current LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project. Thanks to the combination of various mechanical methods (fyke nets, gillnets, rod-angling, and electrofishing), which preserve the lakes’ native fauna, the population density of introduced fish can be reduced until they are completely eradicated. Taking into account the complexity and uniqueness of each individual lake, these data can serve as a guide for future ecological restoration actions in high‑altitude lakes under similar conditions.

Lucia Bello, from the University of Calabria, contributed with an oral presentation on the cross‑ecosystem effects induced by alien fish on various insectivore groups associated with high‑altitude lakes. These lakes can serve as important prey sources for a variety of semi‑aquatic and terrestrial insectivore predators present in these ecosystems, ranging from ground‑dwelling invertebrates (such as spiders and beetles), to birds (dipper and other passerines) and mammals (shrews and bats). Since insectivores and introduced fish compete for a shared food resource (aquatic macroinvertebrates in their larval and/or adult stages), our research seeks to determine whether the presence of fish in these lakes can negatively affect the insectivore community.

The Conservation Biology Conference for Early Career Researchers

The Conservation Biology Conference for Early Career Researchers (ECR) is organized by the Society for Conservation Biology Italy Chapter APS (SCB Italy) and represents a key opportunity for young researchers at the start of their careers. It offers a stimulating environment in which they can present their work and network with peers and established scholars in the field. The theme of the second ECR conference in 2025, held in L’Aquila, was “Biodiversity and Global Change: a Conservation Perspective.”

You can find more information and the full conference program on the official SCB Italy website.

On 6 May, the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIC) in Jaca (Aragón) hosted a new session of the Itinerarios Cicerón, an initiative launched by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) to bridge scientific knowledge with society and to promote evidence-based decision-making. This edition focused on biodiversity recovery and science-based actions for nature restoration.

Teresa Buchaca, researcher at the Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), contributed as an expert in high mountain aquatic ecosystems, which are central to the LIFE RESQUE ALPYR project. In her talk, she explained that high mountain lakes function as true natural laboratories, as they allow researchers to track human impacts over time through palaeoecological analysis. This historical perspective is key to understanding ecosystem changes and planning more effective restoration measures.

As a successful example, Buchaca presented LIFE RESQUE ALPYR, a project aimed at restoring the ecological functionality of mountain lakes in the Pyrenees. She outlined actions such as removal of invasive species and the restoration of natural cycles, which have shown proven effectiveness and are based on the scientific knowledge generated at CEAB-CSIC and by the project’s partner institutions.

The event also featured CEAB researchers Jordi Pagès and Daniel Oro, who shared their insights on the restoration of coastal and delta ecosystems. In addition, pre-recorded videos were shown, offering a glimpse into the researchers’ work in the lab and in the field.

The session brought together scientists from various CSIC centres, nature reserve managers, public authorities, civil society organisations, businesses, and journalists. Coordinated by Graciela Gil-Romera (IPE-CSIC) and Óscar Godoy (EBD-CSIC), the organisers emphasised that nature restoration is an ecological imperative, and can only be successful if grounded in robust and applicable scientific knowledge.

The Itinerarios Cicerón initiative aims to connect research teams working on similar topics and to translate their findings into practical knowledge for society, helping to effectively address today’s environmental challenges.

More information is available at this link.

This year, we conducted our first pilot test with rotenone to eliminate invasive fish species from high-mountain lakes. This action is part of a broader strategy to restore high-altitude aquatic habitats, aiming to transform the restored lakes into biodiversity reservoirs and ecological corridors.

We have also focused on protecting mires, vital habitats for biodiversity and water regulation. Through strategic selective deforestation operations, we have reduced shading and created better conditions for their regeneration. In addition, we have continued the mire protection actions initiated in previous years, such as mowing wet hay meadows and livestock management through the installation of temporary and permanent fences.

Beyond our fieldwork, we remain committed to public engagement. Our participation in events like Science Week and European Researchers’ Night has allowed us to raise awareness about the importance of conserving high-mountain aquatic ecosystems and to connect with the community. Furthermore, our team has participated in numerous scientific and technical conferences and events this year, aiming to share the results and knowledge generated at both national and international levels.

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You can read the full newsletter at the following link.

Starting today, you will find a new capsule every month.

The videos can be seen on the project’s Instagram profile, but also on the media section of the website and on the YouTube channel of the CEAB-CSIC, the project’s coordinating center.

Today, May 21, is the Natura 2000 Day

We are also taking advantage of this launch day to celebrate the European Natura 2000 Day, of which we are a part. The Natura 2000 Network is a collection of protected areas designated to conserve certain species and habitats that live there.

In total, there are more than 27,000 of these areas across Europe.

The protection of these spaces aims to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats. Natura 2000 sites reflect Europe’s rich variety of wildlife and habitats. They cover almost one fifth of land and one tenth of surrounding seas – which is about the size of Spain and Italy combined.

But what makes it special?

In addition to the numerous species of animals, plants, and habitats it protects, the Natura 2000 Network is the result of the cultural and historical interaction between humans and nature.