The HSPN participates in the four-year project titled “Integrated Emerging Approaches for Joint Protection and Restoration of Natural Lakes in the Spirit of European Life Heritage Support (ProCleanLakes)” (101157886) under the European HORIZON EUROPE Program. The project aims to address the various pressures on Europe’s natural lake ecosystems and improve their ecological status through integrated and multi-faceted approaches, including nature-based solutions and artificial intelligence.

The holistic and interdisciplinary approaches applied in the project leverage the synergy of economic, environmental, and social parameters and align with the Sustainable Development Goals and EU policies related to freshwater ecosystems. The project involves multiple locations facing diverse pressures, which will serve as testing grounds for integrated protection and restoration solutions. Additionally, a roadmap will be developed to ensure the enhancement and widespread adoption of optimal integrated solutions (IS), demonstrating their scalability and reproducibility.

The project is coordinated by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria), with partners from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Romania, Norway, Spain, France, Austria, Germany, and Cyprus.