News - Media

Radio show with Ulrich Eichelmann on the International Day of Rivers (only in German)

 11.10.2023

On the occasion of the International Day of Rivers, Riverwatch CEO Ulrich Eichelmann was interviewed by the Austrian radio station Ö1. The ecologist and conservationist shares his thoughts on the threatened river lifeline. He tells us about the state of rivers in Austria and in Europe and reports on

The Blue Heart Podcast kicks off with the Neretva Science Series

Attention all nature lovers! Are you ready to dive deep into the world of river conservation? We are thrilled to announce the launch of The Blue Heart Podcast - a five-episode series that uncovers the groundbreaking scientific findings of the 2022 Neretva Sicence Week.

Article: The Allure and Perils of Hydropower

 20.11.2017

This article, published first in mid-Novemer in the magazine Undark, explores why some highly developed country have started efforts to take down hydroelectric dams and why countries like Albania insist on repeating the mistakes that are now costing fortunes to rectify. It also prominently features the Vjosa and efforts to save it. Enjoy!

Der Spiegel: The last Blue Wonder of Europe

 25.07.2017

The German magazine Der Spiegel just published an insightful multi-media story about the Vjosa Science Buster Week in April – including stunning photo and video material: The last Blue Wonder of Europe. Check it out (sorry, so far in German only)!

The Vjosa in Universum Magazine

 13.07.2017

The scientists from the Natural History Museum Vienna who joined the Vjosa Science Week in April authored an article about the fight for the Vjosa for the summer edition of the Universum Magazine. Apart from stunning photos, the article also offers insight into Albania’s history as well as into its natural and cultural treasures. DOWNLOAD the article as PDF (sorry, in German only)

International documentary award for ZDF “Hydropower Madness”

 12.07.2017

The ZDF planet e documentary “Hydropower Madness - The destruction of rivers in the Balkans” about the dam craze putting these rivers at risk received the documentary award of the International Wlodzimierz Puchalski Nature Film Festival Lodz. Congratulations to Birgit Hermes from the ZDF!

TODAY: Vjosa on Ö1 radio!

 06.07.2017

Ö1 also participated in our Vjosa Science Week in April. Today at 19:05, the first part about this activity will be aired: http://oe1.orf.at/programm/20170706/480492 If you miss it, you can listen to it on demand for 7 days! The second part will be broadcasted next Thursday (July 13)  at 09:05 (rerun at 22:08) http://oe1.orf.at/programm/20170713/481999

Scientists for Vjosa

++ 25 scientists from Austria, Albania, Germany and Slovenia research Europe’s last wild river for a week ++ Press conference held on river island ++ A very unusual press conference was held at the Vjosa in South Albania on April 26 – an initiative like this is without par in Europe. On a gravel island in midst of Europe’s last big wild river – the Vjosa – about 25 scientists from four countries gathered to draw attention to the detrimental impacts that are to be expected from the projected “Poçem” dam.

Lunacek: Don’t destroy Vjosa! Build your power plant somewhere else!

 14.04.2017

Vice President of the European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek lobbies for a free-flowing Vjosa and against projected hydropower plants!  “It is true that Albania needs energy and more development, but that should not be done by destroying nature’, she tells Albanian journalists in Brussels.

European Parliament discusses Sava River

++ Opportunities for and threats to one of the most valuable rivers of Europe ++ Unique potential for natural flood control identified ++ Today, one of the last living rivers of Central Europe received valuable attention in Brussels. Nature conservation foundation EuroNatur and the European Association of Wetlands International made the Sava River an issue in the European Parliament.

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