European Rivers Network Homepage

The main goal of European Rivers Network (ERN)

ERN seeks to promote the sustainable wise management of living rivers and water in opposition to the exploitation, pollution and degradation that has occurred in the past.

The European Rivers Network is a European information and collaboration network of organisa-tions and individuals working in the field of river protection.

The aim of ERN is to link groups, organisations and persons working for the protection of rivers and to improve communication between them. (environment, culture, education and human rights).

ERN, is a non profit NGO and was founded 1994 by Roberto A. Epple as a project of SOS Loire Vivante, now SOS Loire Vivante - ERN France (NGO french "loi 1901", founded in 1989) in technical cooperation with IRN (International Rivers Network), WWF and other partners.

Running projects and campaigns :

• Setup the Wild River Conservation Fund (Rivières sauvages) in partnership with WWF

• Running RIVERNET (the Web Portal for living rivers).
RIVERNET offers multilingual information concerning rivers and their watersheds,
(over 2000 every day in 2008)

• Developing a webbased RiverInfo Systemweb (GIS)
for 7 -10 pilot riverbasins in Europe and other continents.
We started in 2007/2008 with the Elbe, Rhine and Loire Basins.

• Publishing the e-mail based RiverNews (former RiverFax).
This delivers important multilingual information about current events related to rivers of Europe and the world. ERN supports other thematical and river basin focused e-mail work groups (listservs).

• ERN is the Initiator and Coordinator of the BIG JUMP 2005-2015 (the International River Swimming Day). “Big Jump” aims at reconciliating people with their rivers and to gain people's support to the big European restoration effort for rivers and wetlands suchas the huge Water Framework Directive of the European Community. Over 350 000 peoples, along 31 rivers basins in 22 countries participated in 2005 !

- Establishing a UNESCO Biosphere onthe upper Loire Valley in France

• Partner in AQUANET EUROPE FOUNDATION (Project ended)
Five non-profit organizations in Europe, based in Spain (Fundacion Nueva Cultura del Agua), Belgium ( RIOU ), The Netherlands (Stichting Reinwater), France (European Rivers Network - ERN) and Italy (Gruppo 183 - Onlus), and dealing with issues related to the sustainable development of water resources have united to form a new organization.The aim of the organization is the sustainable management of waters and the related ecosystems in the European Union.
The organization realises its aim by:
a) organisation and co-ordination of national and international activities;
b) monitoring and promotion of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive and related EU provisions;
c) exchange of knowledge and experience on best practices;
d) stimulation of relevant educational, scientific and publicity activities at both national and international level;
e) raising of public awareness. The organization acts in co-operation with public or private bodies concerned for the protection and management of water, both at national and international level.
Its activities cover the whole of the European Union as well as the areas of the world concerned by the European Union's policies.

• Partner in the RhineNet Project (EU InterReg 3b Project), This project is comleted now ( end 2008)
Developing participative management for the Rhine.
Objectives :
" The identification and development of lasting practices in water management, which have as a goal the enforcement and development of the Rhine habitat towards a good ecological quality while considering citizen interests
" The mitigation of user conflicts"
" The promotion of international cooperation between citizens, institutions, authorities and municipalities and the dissemination of know how

• „Rivers of pictures and flows of words" a educational project for yung people. It promotes since 1996 through the arts watershed awareness. (multidisciplinary approach) .

- Co-ordination of the „Loire Vivante” (Living Loire) campaign in cooperation with SOS Loire Vivante (France).

• More

- ERN is organising „Youth Riverbasin Parliaments“ in European river basins.

- Co-ordination of the international Dam Decommissioning Campaign in Europe (so far three dams decommissioned in France).
- Clearinghouse for the european campaign against Spains National Hydrological Plan in cooperation with the spanish NGOs.
- Support for world wide campaigns against destructive water development projects.
(We apply the WCD Recommondation to evaluat projects)
- Consulting and Participation in the „Lebendige Elbe” (Living Elbe) campaign (a DUH and G+J project) with the main goal to link the more than 400 organisations and to establish a Network of UNESCO Worldheritage and UNESCO MaB Site along the Elbe river.

Contacts :

ERN
Main and Westeuropean Office
8 rue Crozatier,
43000 Le Puy, Southern France
Phone +33 471 02 08 14 Fax +33 471 02 60 99
infos at ern.org www.ern.org

Contact Offices in :
Nantes ( France) Alsace (Rhine office), Montpellier (France), Dresden (Germany), Nisni Novgorod (Russia), Istanbul (Turkey)

Staff:

to contact us : infos(@)ern.org :

General Coordination
Roberto A. Epple Le Puy / France and Geneva / Switzerland +33 4 71 02 08 14

Central- , Eastern Europe and Eurasia - Coordinator :
Alfred Olfert, Dresden / Germany +49 351 31 37 841

Coordinator for Spain and Portugal:
Catalunya : Valéry Valette call to the Le Puy office +33 4 71 02 08 14
Spain and Portugal : vacancy

Coordinator for South- West- and North Europe
Roberto A. Epple, Le Puy / France and Geneva / Switzerland
+33 4 71 02 08 14

Director Headquater ERN (based in France)
Simon Burner (from 2011) +33 4 71 02 08 14

Program Coordination / Policys

Gregory Jovignot, Le Puy (France), Upper Riever basins, EU Policys
Cathrine Maillot-Lerat, Nantes : France + 33 4 71 02 08 14

Office Manager Le Puy
Délphine Dacher (2011), Le Puy / France +33 4 71 05 57 88 or +33 4 71 02 08 14,
Fax +33 4 71 02 60 99

Educational programs:
Maxime Romeyer, Le Puy / France, +33 4 71 02 08 14

International actions :
Ute Ruf / Strasbourg region / France and Germany +33 688 26 21 35
Maxime Romeyer, Le Puy / France, +33 4 71 02 08 14

GIS Coordination / Cartographie/Infographie
Bernd Paulowitz, Paris / France
Ute Ruf / Strasbourg region / France and Germany +33 688 26 21 35
Stéphanie Rossignaud, Le Puy/ France + 33 4 71 02 08 14

Information and InterNet Coordination, Translations :
a network of volonteers

Logistic Bonnefont (Info Center Upper Loire, Haute Vallée de la Loire):
Jean Paul Chabanon, Le Puy / France +33 4 71 02 08 14
Elian Fontvielle, Le Puy / France + 33 4 71 02 08 14
Maxime Romeye Le Puy / France +33 4 71 02 08 14

Secretary :
accounting : Christele Tran Le Puy / France +33 4 71 02 08 14

plus many volunteers !