BaltCOP – The Baltic Catchment Officer Project

BaltCOP is a river and wetland restoration project with the aim of reducing nutrient runoff into the Baltic Sea. While the project aims to restore ecosystems and promote healthier water systems, it also seeks to set a blueprint for future efforts across the Baltic Sea region.

To achieve our environmental goals and reduce eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, we need effective, catchment-scale restoration. Our project aims to expand this approach across the Baltic Sea region by building capacity and understanding of catchment coordination, and piloting restoration projects in Sweden, Estonia, and Latvia.

What are catchment officers?

The catchment officer approach is central to the BaltCOP project. Catchment officers assist in coordinating restoration efforts across a catchment area, acting as a bridge between stakeholders, from landowners, to municipalities, to environmental agencies. They can help to identify where measures can and should be implemented to best reach the goals for the catchment, and ultimately the Baltic Sea. Catchment officers are vital for implementing concrete restoration actions, overcoming gaps between policy and practice, and ensuring that plans for reducing nutrient runoff translate into effective on-the-ground solutions.

Catchment officer Gordon Lindau from NVVF © Emma Gemal, WWF Sweden

Project activities

BaltCOP involves pilot-actions in Estonia, Latvia, and Sweden to develop, test and scale the catchment officer approach.

Discover the planned work for each of the partner countries:

In the Kasari River basin, Estonia will implement pilot projects to bridge the gap between theory and practice in integrated water management. Efforts will focus on building tangible examples and adopting a learn-by-doing approach. Key activities include constructing artificial dams, restoring natural river meanders, and engaging with stakeholders to promote the catchment officer approach nationally.

In Latvia, project partners will investigate financing mechanisms for wetland construction, develop a user-friendly tool to identify optimal wetland sites, and reconstruct the Mežacīruļi wetland to enhance its effectiveness. These efforts aim to reduce nutrient runoff and support policy recommendations for effective restoration and water management.

Sweden will work with the catchment officer approach to reduce nutrient pollution, enhance water quality and improve biodiversity. During the project, two wetlands across two catchments will be restored. The results, alongside insights from previous projects, will be summarized in a guidebook and used as a reference for catchment officer work around the Baltic Sea.

Role of each partner

WWF Sweden

Leading the project implementation and capacity-building activities. Will coordinate the project, establishing the frameworks and tools needed for project execution and overseeing its operation. They will facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration between partners, ensure effective communication, and aid in capacity building efforts.  

The Estonian Fund for Nature

Playing a pivotal role in enhancing river conservation and biodiversity in Estonia. Will focus on a combination of awareness-raising initiatives, such as workshops to engage partners and stakeholders, and practical restoration in the form of three pilot restoration projects.  

Nyköping’s River Conservation Association (NVVF)

Leading efforts in Sweden, running two wetland restoration projects. Will also help run knowledge development activities to increase awareness of catchment coordination and the Catchment Officer Approach. 

Pasaules Dabas Fonds (PDF)

Focusing on habitat restoration and nature conservation in the country. Will gather data on and monitor the effectiveness of existing constructed wetlands, improve a previously constructed wetland to be more efficient in nutrient removal, and communicate the benefits of wetlands and catchment-wide management to decision makers and the general public. 

Latvia University of Life Sciences & Technologies

Contributing academic expertise in environmental science and sustainable agricultural practices. Will collaborate with PDF to reconstruct the first constructed wetland in the Baltic States, which will act as a learning platform for restoration methods in Latvia.  

Key deliverables

As part of this project, several key tools and resources will be developed to ensure its success and future scalability:

Six pilot actions restoration sites across three countries will be implemented to improve nutrient retention and reduce runoff, while demonstrating and refining the Catchment Officer Approach. 

Catchment Officer Toolkit featuring best practices, workshop insights, and guidance on monitoring and evaluation to support catchment officers in their roles. 

A strategic roadmap will be created to integrate catchment officers into national water management plans, ensuring long-term impact on nutrient reduction efforts.