Nature and Biodiversity · Standard Action Project
LIFE4AquaticWarbler
Conservation of Europe's Rarest Continental Passerine: A Transboundary Initiative for Aquatic Warbler Population Recovery
About the project
The aquatic warbler is Europe's rarest passerine, globally vulnerable, with fewer than 11,000 singing males at fewer than 50 sites occupying less than 1,500 km²; its decline is driven mainly by drainage, intensive management and degradation of breeding habitat. Building on earlier work including LIFE MagniDucatusAcrola, the project restores breeding sites in Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, aiming to halt the decline in all five countries and to help birds reoccupy at least 6 former breeding sites. Targets include restored and occupied breeding habitat of at least 3,910 ha, an increase of 843 to 1,037 singing males, translocation of at least 760 juveniles, and 12 nature management plans. The project also updates species action plans and agri-environmental schemes, promotes the use of biomass from restored habitats, and aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions from restored wetlands by at least 7,525 t CO₂ a year.
breeding habitat restored in Ukraine (of ≥3,910 ha in total)
singing males across all sites
juveniles translocated
emission reduction from restored wetlands
Ukrainian participation
About 1,500 ha of the restored breeding habitat is in Ukraine, where the project aims to reverse the population decline and includes a water-management project at Birky. It also updates Ukraine's national species plan, promotes processing of biomass from restored habitats, strengthens Ukraine-EU cooperation in nature protection and rural development, and builds Ukraine's capacity to take part in the LIFE Programme.
| Organisation | Role | EU contribution |
|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB) | Beneficiary | EU contribution: €1,094,622 |
Consortium
Coordinator
Baltic Environmental Forum Lithuania (Baltijos aplinkos forumas VšĮ)
Lithuania
Ukraine
- Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Birds (USPB)
- See “Ukrainian participation”
Germany
- Förderverein Naturschutz im Peenetal e.V.
- EuroNatur Foundation (Euronatur-Stiftung Europäisches Naturerbe)
- Landschaftspflegeverband Uckermark-Schorfheide
Hungary
- Hortobágy Természetvédelmi Egyesület
Poland
- Polish Society for the Protection of Birds (OTOP)
Links
Sources and verification
Data verified on 19 Oct 2026 against official sources: