Innovation Financing Unit and Professionalizing Transfer Processes Unit

Video on research project to protect freshwater mussels highlights solutions for Saxony

News | Leipzig /

Fraunhofer IMW is one of the key research partners in the ArKoNaVera joint project, launched in mid-2015. Within the framework of the project, a total of eight partners are committed to the conservation of biological diversity in mussel habitat catchments, thus promoting the stabilization of freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) and painter's mussel (Unio pictorum) populations as national priority species. 

Today, the painter's mussel is regarded as an endangered species and is protected under nature conservation law. The freshwater pearl mussel is threatened with extinction worldwide and is one of the most strictly protected species in Germany. Its formerly abundant populations have decreased dramatically and must be assisted through breeding. The freshwater pearl mussel has a special function here, in addition to its importance in preserving a high degree of biodiversity: it serves as a biological indicator of water quality.

This short documentary explains how the river pearl mussel is protected in the Saxon Vogtland. Click here for the Saxon Landesstiftung Natur- und Umwelt (LaNU) YouTube channel.
 

The Professionalizing Knowledge Transfer Processes Unit at Fraunhofer IMW has the following tasks for the ArKoNaVera research project:

Analyzing stakeholders in large mussel catchments in Saxony

Evaluating public relations work (both during the process and towards the end of the project)
 

The Innovation Financing Unit at Fraunhofer IMW has the following tasks for the ArKoNaVera research project: 

Analyzing established methods and testing alternative (crowdfunding) instruments for economically evaluating biodiversity measures

Developing a specific methodology for the economic evaluation of biodiversity measures using the example of the ArKoNaVera project
 

The "ArKoNaVera" project is jointly funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) (FKZ 01LC1313A-D and 3514685E13-I13). The BMBF supports this project as Research for Sustainable Development (FONA).