What does freshwater ecosystem restoration cost? 

We are looking for motivated students interested in contributing to an international research project investigating the costs of freshwater ecosystem restoration.

Around the world, billions of euros are invested in restoring rivers, wetlands and peatlands. Surprisingly, little is known about how restoration costs vary between ecosystem types, restoration measures and geographical regions, or which factors determine successful and cost-effective restoration.

Our research group is building an international database of restoration projects by synthesising published studies and collaborating with scientists and practitioners across Europe and North America. The project aims to improve our understanding of restoration investments and support evidence-based implementation of large-scale restoration initiatives.

Possible topics include:

• systematic review of restoration cost literature;
• development and harmonisation of an international restoration cost database;
• analyses of cost patterns across restoration measures or ecosystem types;
• evaluation of how restoration costs are reported and recommendations for improved reporting standards;
• restoration economics, monitoring and adaptive management.

Students will gain experience in literature synthesis, database development, scientific data analysis and ecological research within an international collaborative project. Depending on the student’s background and interests, projects can be tailored as Bachelor or Master theses.

If you are interested, please contact Sebastian Birk for further information.