Download «Regulations for Use» (in German)
THE RIVER PEARL PLUS LABEL MUST MEET TWO REQUIREMENTS
1. The water body must largely be in a natural state.
Hydrology, ecomorphology and bedload balance within the certified stretch are largely natural. The watercourse has sufficient space, is clean and provides habitat for diverse animal and plant species.
Examples of such rivers can be found here in German, French or Italian.
2. A development plan is prepared and implemented.
All stakeholders with an interest in the affected water body (e.g. local residents, fishermen, farmers, water sports enthusiasts, nature conservation associations, etc.) commonly prepare a development plan, which considers the entire catchment area. The development plan defines how the condition of the river pearl can be maintained and improved over the certification period of five years, and identifies financial sources to this end. This includes measures in the areas of awareness-raising, information, education, and research, but also field measures to upgrade the watercourse and its surroundings – not only in the certified river stretch, but also upstream and downstream and on the tributaries.
How does that play together?
The label not only aims at protecting and, if necessary, enhancing the labeled river stretch itself, but also to improve the ecological conditions of the entire watershed (upper course and lower reaches downstream, tributaries). The development plan includes the measures to fulfill these requirements. In the case of a recertification, the certified stretch ideally is extended.
Revitalized river stretches may be certified as well. In combination with the development plan, this creates an incentive to further improve and enlarge the certified stretch.
Example of ecological improvements within the framework of the label River Pearl PLUS.
Left: Certification during the initial five years: The upper section of the watercourse is certified. As part of the development plan, the label holder removes the migration barrier and bank protection in the lower reaches. Right: recertification after 5 years. The development plan has been implemented, and the migration barrier and bank protection in the lower reaches have been removed. Subsequently, the lower reaches will also be certified. In another development plan, the label holder commits to removing the impairments on the main river.