Regenera – Revitalizing Our Waters through Sports

 

The Regenera Project is a European project aiming to improve the environmental impact of water sports.

This project is part of a wide-ranging approach to bringing the concept of regeneration to local communities and water sports users where it can have the most impact. Regeneration is a concept that goes beyond sustainability. Where, as opposed to leaving a certain space as we found it, can we do some small actions to leave it in a healthier position. By working with these communities and sharing knowledge around the positive impacts we can have on our environment and biodiversity, we hope to empower those who engage in water sports to be confident that they are positively impacting the space around them.

To do this, four sites spread throughout Europe have been chosen as case study sites. There is one each in Ireland, Finland, Slovenia, and Spain. These sites were specifically chosen because they’re becoming more and more popular with water sports. However, it’s been noted that the increased interest in water sports may be having a negative impact on the ecological health of these lakes. The Irish case study site is at Lake Keel in Achill Island, which is a very popular spot for wind surfing, canoeing and stand-up paddle in particular.

Our role

What we’re doing is working on these sites, gaining a better understanding of ecologically where the lake is at, how it is being used and by who and the significance of the lake in its local context. We’ll be monitoring then how small actions can affect a positive change in it, whether this be in terms of its biodiversity, shore erosion and water level etc.

Then, taking our learnings from these case study sites, we will be developing a framework for regenerative water sports that will be used throughout the EU.

Leave No Trace, will work with and learn from the community to understand how they use this lake, what role it plays in their economy and its importance as a local landmark. We work with these organisations and conduct test to establish the health of the lake. Through different courses, community engagements and campaigns, we hope to educate and raise awareness within the locality to the work we are doing to support the lake’s regeneration. Moving on from this, we will then build a framework to empower the community to protect the lake for future generations.

Timeline

During 2024, all partners are conducting vulnerability assessments on the lake site locations chosen for the project. This gives us a good idea of where the quality of the lake is at. Working together with those who use the lake most, we can put in place small actions that go a long way.

In 2025, by starting with these small changes, we’ll be measuring the overall quality of the lake to see the positive change we can make in the lake. At this stage, we can expect to see a decrease in pollution, the shoreline of the lake beginning to stabilise and a better experience for those who come to visit Lake Keel. At the stage, we’ll also be engaging with the wider community to make them aware of the work being undertaken in this gorgeous resource. By running free education and training events, we hope to inspire the local community to support the regeneration of the lake.

By 2026, we can expect to see more impressive changes to the health of the lake and surrounding area such as healthier wildlife populations, shoreline recovery, and increased community engagement in the programme. This will help us to make Lake Keel an attractive destination for tourists, seeking a natural and well-preserved environment.

Who’s involved

As well as Leave No Trace, there are a number of organisations across the EU involved in this project, including those in Finland, Spain and Slovenia.

• Consell Esportiu Pla de L’Estany is a Spanish private, non-profit organisation made up of educational centres, family associations, sports organisations, town councils and the Pla de l’Estany Regional Council. The entity is dedicated to the encouragement, promotion and organization of school and popular physical and sports activity in the region.
• Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya, known by its acronym INEFC, is an autonomous body whose purpose is to promote and practice physical education in Catalonia, as well as academic training in the areas of sports management, health and physical condition and physical performance.
• The Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management (ACR+), based in Brussels, Belgium, was created to exchange good practices on separate waste collection in urban and regional settings. Over the years, it has grown into an international network, comprising local and regional authorities, along with other key stakeholders from across Europe and beyond and extensive scope of expertise.
• Ekokumppanit Oy is a Finnish non-profit expert organisation that implements diverse, sustainable services in an environmentally and human-oriented manner. Their main area of operations is leading and participating in diverse projects that support sustainable development.
• Veslaška zveza Slovenije is the governing body of rowing in Slovenia. It is responsible for Slovenian national Rowing team, and organization of the international regattas, World Cup in Rowing, Bled 2010 and World Rowing Championships in Bled 2011.