Dam removal in Ukraine aids endangered fish

"A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) team this summer successfully [removed] an obsolete dam in the Carpathian mountains, opening a river to migratory fish for the first time in 120 years . . . Reconnecting the river will allow fish such as endangered Danube salmon, brown trout and Ukrainian brook lamprey to return to their ancient spawning grounds, boosting their populations and supporting the return of predators such as brown bears, European mink and otters to what could soon become a biodiversity hotspot in the Carpathians . . . Dr Bohdan Vykhor, CEO of WWF Ukraine [said that], 'by removing obsolete dams across the Carpathian mountains, we are helping to create healthier, more resilient ecosystems that will benefit people and nature long into the future.' Bayurivka was the first dam to be demolished thanks to funding from the European Open Rivers Programme, a game-changing 42.5 million euros initiative to drastically speed up the removal of obsolete dams and weirs across Europe to restore rivers, boost biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience."