MERLIN Newsletter March 2026
Policy Briefs: new pathways for Nature-based Solutions
The MERLIN project has expanded its knowledge hub with a variety of new Policy Briefs designed to bridge the gap between science and decision-making. These briefs provide practical evidence for policymakers on the socio-economic benefits of large-scale restoration: from aligning the Nature Restoration Regulation and the Water Framework Directive, to mobilising public and private finance for restoration, to mainstreaming freshwater restoration across economic sectors.
Updated MERLIN Academy: new Modules and multi-language support
The MERLIN Academy continues to grow, equipping practitioners with the skills needed for freshwater restoration. While Modules 1 and 3 were already published in 2024, we are now highlighting the availability of Module 2 (Stakeholder engagement and governance) and the upcoming Module 4 (Catchment-scale modelling), which will be released in a few weeks. Later this year we will also launch a Module full of MERLIN case study stories. To support our international audience, we started to implement subtitles in German, French and Spanish. Module 2 is already fully translated and available online. The other Modules will follow step by step.
Tune in to our latest podcasts!
Our podcast series continues to dive deep into the world of restoration. If you missed our most recent episodes, be sure to check them out for insights into the social impacts of Nature-based Solutions and the technical challenges of water-saving agriculture. Special announcement: mark your calendars for the end of March, when we will release a special episode recorded live from our final policy event in Brussels, featuring key takeaways from our project partners.
Out now: scaling up freshwater restoration and Nature-based Solutions in Europe
Another key outcome of MERLIN is the recently published European Scalability Plan. It outlines how freshwater restoration can be strategically upscaled to help meet EU objectives under the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Water Framework Directive and the Nature Restoration Regulation. The plan promotes context-specific Nature-based Solutions, complemented by targeted engineering where needed and offers a practical, evidence-based framework to help policy makers and river basin authorities identify priority areas, assess benefits and plan financing. By focusing efforts where ecological potential and policy relevance are highest – and by aligning funding with the real value of ecosystem services – the plan supports effective, large-scale restoration while maximising biodiversity gains and carefully managing trade-offs.
Cross-sectoral Story Map: a visual journey
Another exciting tool currently under development is our interactive Story Map. As transformative change in freshwater management does not happen in isolation, but requires farmers, water managers, businesses, policymakers and many other actors to work together, aligning economic activities with the restoration of healthy rivers, wetlands and floodplains is key. Our Story Map brings this cooperation to life. It presents a cross-sectoral Routemap showing how Nature-based Solutions can become part of everyday decision-making across Europe. Readers can explore practical insights, governance pathways, and the roles different economic sectors can play in implementing measures such as natural water retention, peatland and wetland restoration, floodplain restoration, and reconnecting rivers. Through interactive maps and clear explanations, the Story Map highlights where opportunities exist, how sectors intersect and how coordinated action can help deliver the ambitions of the European Green Deal.
Outlook: final results and Brussels meeting
As we approach the end of the project, we invite you to follow our final proceedings closely. We will soon share videos and podcasts from our policy meeting in Brussels as well as from our final project meeting in Ghent. We also highly encourage you to follow the upcoming Brussels meeting online to witness the final presentation of our results together with the other flagship projects WaterLANDS, SpongeScapes and SpongeWorks.