News
The first three LIFE RESTORE for MDD restoration sites have now been completed along the Mura River in Slovenia. During the 2025/26 winter, the Slovenian project team – the Slovenian Water Agency, the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation and Slovenian State Forests – finished work on the Konjišče 2 riverbed, the Benica side channel and the Gradišče oxbow lake.
Together, these measures improved the floodplain forest habitats on 100.4 hectares. Around 1.1 km of bank reinforcement was removed and relocated inland, and a total of more than 14,800 m³ of sediment was removed. With the LIFE RESTORE for MDD project being halfway through it’s project time, these mark the first concrete restoration results of the LIFE RESTORE for MDD project, which is now halfway through.
Konjišče 2: Giving the River More Space
At Konjišče 2 on the border section of the Mura in the Municipality of Apače, 1.1 kilometres of bank reinforcement were removed and a new passive protection line was relocated 100–130 metres inland. This gives the river more space for natural development and improves conditions for 43.4 hectares of floodplain forest habitats. The measure is one of the largest river restoration works in the region and particularly important on this highly regulated stretch of the Mura. Together with earlier works in Slovenia and Austria, around four kilometres of the riverbed have now been continuously restored along this section.
→ Find more details in the Konjišče 2 factsheet.
Benica: Restoring the Side Channel Connection
At Benica in the Municipality of Lendava, one of the longest side channels on the Slovenian Mura was restored. In recent years, sediment deposits and debris had increasingly restricted inflow from the Mura into the nearly 2 km long side channel. Around 8,056 m³ of sediment were removed and the inlet and initial section of the channel were deepened, helping to restore water inflow even at lower water levels. This strengthens the connection between the river and its floodplain and improves hydrological conditions in the side channel and surrounding forests. Overall, the measure improves natural conditions across 44 hectares of floodplain forest and 4 hectares covered by water.
→ Find more details in the Benica factsheet.
Gradišče: Revitalising an Oxbow Lake
Near Tropovci in the Municipality of Tišina, the nearly 200-year-old Gradišče oxbow lake was restored after becoming heavily silted and largely dried out. Around 6,775 m³ of sediment were removed and woody vegetation was cleared to help the oxbow retain water again. The restoration brings back an important wetland habitat for amphibians, birds and other aquatic species. All works were completed before the onset of spring amphibian activity.
→ Find more details in the Gradišče factsheet.
Restoration work on the Mura will continue from August 2026 near Hrastje Mota and Mele. In parallel, the restoration of the floodplain forest is also moving forward. Following the removal of non-native tree species and herbaceous vegetation across 11.02 hectares, 23,180 native tree seedlings will be planted.
