Rivers and wetlands are of outstanding natural value: they are not only essential for aquatic plant and animal species, but also provide services that satisfy fundamental social needs. Rivers and their catchments are among the lifeblood of nature and humanity throughout the world. The regulation of rivers has been the greatest landscape transformation work of human history, and as a result most watercourses are now trapped in dykes, so that people can enjoy only a fraction of all the benefits that natural waters are able to provide. However, there are many opportunities for restoring rivers and their floodplains, which are urgently needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Originally, natural floodplains made up around 23% of Hungary's territory, but now more than 90% of these have disappeared. Only a fraction of the former floodplains remain, their habitat diversity has been dramatically reduced and their water retention capacity is significantly lower than it used to be. Regulated, straightened, diked rivers are rapidly draining water from our country due to the lack of a vital connection with their former floodplains, contributing greatly to the aridification of the country. As a result of climate change, we can expect more and more weather extremes: longer droughts, more heat waves, devastating storms, flash floods. Our rivers and their floodplains may play an important role in protecting us effectively against all these.

Floodplains need to be made suitable for water retention - we need more space for rivers than ever before. Spreading rivers over a larger area will slow down the rapid drainage of their water. We need to connect rivers with their former floodplains beyond the embankment in as many places as possible through controlled outlets. This will enrich the local wildlife, recharge groundwater and improve agricultural conditions through landscape-scale "irrigation". At present, long sections of riverbanks are protected by ripraps blocking several side arms and oxbows. These banks need to be restored to enable the river to supply its surroundings with vital water. Let's protect our remaining rivers and their environment!

Small-scale natural water retention measures, which can also be applied at the municipal level, are designed to mitigate the water-related extremes - too little or too much water - in a natural and cost-effective way. They can protect against droughts, heat waves, flash floods and inland water. In addition, they can provide a wide range of co-benefits such as increasing urban green surfaces, improving water quality, erosion control, creating and preserving natural habitats, microclimate control and providing recreational opportunities. Their application also helps to mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects.

People have an important role to play in protecting rivers and waterbanks, and in their own neighbourhoods everyone can do a lot for it. Lakeshores and riverbanks are becoming increasingly popular and with a little care, their condition can be maintained or improved. Learn some hints on how to do it!