In a Radio 4 programme aired in April as part of the Nature series, Brett Westwood explored the growing use of coarse woody debris (CWD) in managing rivers.  

 ''According to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, fish live in trees too'', says the BBC Radio 4. ''The Trust's biologists are using wood as a remarkably effective tool to change the depth and flow of streams and improve them for wildlife. They don't just stop at streams either: at the confluence of the Tame and Trent rivers, they've submerged entire willow trees in gravel islands in a project to widen the river channel.

A two day conference was hosted by the River Restoration Centre and held at Nottingham University in April. The event presented some of the most cutting edge and innovative ways of achieving river restoration to a 200 strong audience of international environmental experts.

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A international workshop in Iasi "Exchange of experience in restoration of waterways in Europe"; Workshop la Iasi: "Schimb de experienta in domeniul restaurarii cursurilor de apa"

Practices to restore rivers in Europe, discussed in Iasi; Practici de restaurare a cursurilor de apă în Europa, dezbătute la Iaşi

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Brussels, Belgium - CEO Jane Madgwick of Wetlands International recently spoke on The Future of Europe’s Waters at a European Parliament Interactive Seminar chaired by MEP Giancarlo Scotta. Other speakers included Nicola Natoro (Directorate General Environment, European Commission), Martin Scheele, (Directorate General Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission) and Antoine Poupard, of the French Farmer’s Association. The seminar was sponsored by Wetlands International member organisation FACE, the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU.

 Freshwater scarcity is a growing concern, placing considerable importance on the accuracy of indicators used to characterize and map water scarcity worldwide.