Restoration efforts underway for Kelhu River in Kolar, Finland

In the Tornionjoki Valley, an August day is clear, warm, and almost free of mosquitoes. Accessing the restoration site of the Kelhu River in Kolar requires a lengthy and bumpy drive along winding sandy roads, followed by a steep half-kilometer walk through dense underbrush that used to be a bog.

The Kelhu River is one of several waterways in the Tornionjoki area that were dredged in the 1940s and 1950s for timber floating, leading to the leveling of its bed for log transport. This altered the river’s vital spawning habitats for fish. Currently, excavators are repairing the damage caused by these past activities. Stones piled along the banks and some vegetation are being returned to the river channel. Work progresses slowly as a researcher team from the Natural Resources Institute and the University of Oulu assesses the river’s current ecosystem.

A short distance away, Marko Kangas, a project coordinator from the Ely Center, proudly shows off the restored stretch of the Olos River, just 15 kilometers from the Tornionjoki. “The traces of timber floating are no longer visible. This is a traditional river restoration site featuring areas for spawning and juvenile fish, as well as deep pools for larger fish.”

The Kelhu and Olos Rivers are among the first restoration sites in a significant European waterbody revitalization project, costing over €21 million. In Finland, 22 rivers are set to be restored over the next seven years, targeting migratory fish species and enhancing the aquatic environment overall.