Background This project will focus on measures to improve habitats along the Lower Rhine, near Emmerich (Germany), adjacent to the Dutch border. The Emmerich floodplain has been disconnected from the river Rhine since 1850. The area is characterised by some remnants of typical habitats of floodplains of large rivers, such as small areas of alluvial forests, natural river shorelines and various other associated aquatic and dry habitats. The site faces a number of problems including: The very small areas of alluvial forest; reduced connectivity between the river stretch and river floodplain; negative impacts of river navigation (e.g. through effect of waves on the embankment); and limited options for regular flooding events because of dykes. Objectives The project intends to construct a secondary channel to reconnect the river with its floodplain, near Emmerich, and to combine this with the establishment of a new area of floodplain forest. The works concern three Natura network sites: NSG Emmericher Ward; Rhein-Fischschutzzonen zwischen Emmerich und Bad Honnef; and Unterer Niederrhein. Extensive intensive co-operation with the river authority and other stakeholders is foreseen. Specific objectives are: To establish a river stretch with natural dynamic river flow and bank structures, and to initiate a great variety of depth, currents, sediments and sediment dynamics; To protect the new river habitats from the negative impact of the swell caused by passing boats; To improve the ecological and hydrological connection between the river and its floodplain as well as of the amphibian transition zone between the river and floodplain; To restablish the priority habitats alluvial forests and mixed floodplain forest, which are almost extinct in the Lower Rhine region, across an area of 22 ha (integrating 5 ha of existing floodplain forest); To minimise the barrier effect of the forest in the event of flooding by integrating forest aisles, with the side-channel compensating for the remaining barrier effect. Expected results: An opened-up river side-channel, (2.2 km long, 25 m wide) reconnecting the river for at least 270 days/year. The channel will have different depths and riverbed sediments, moderate morphologic and sediment dynamics, wide shallow water zones with flowing and stagnant waters and amphibian zones; Improved ecological and hydrological connection between the river and its floodplain, as well as an improvement of the amphibian transition zone between the river and the floodplain. These will be achieved by establishing wide, shallow water zones and channels that will stop the ongoing silting-up and ecological degradation of the river banks; Restoration of spawning ground and breeding habitats for the priority (Habitats Directive) fish species, Coregonus oxyrhynchus, and breeding and resting habitats for several migratory fish species and fish associated with fast-moving waters (Annex II, Habitats Directive); Development of shallow banks of different sediment types, including for the Habitats Directive-listed habitats: “Rivers with muddy banks with Chenopodion rubri p.p. and Bidention”; “Hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities of plains”; and “Water courses of plain to montane altitudes with the Ranunculion fluitantis and CallitrichoBatrachion vegetation”; Conservation and increase of the Cobitis taenia population, the breeding habitat for Luscinia svecica (Annex I, Birds Directive) and Luscinia megarhynchos, as well as for Alcedo atthis (Annex I); and The experience gained in construction and maintenance of side-channels can be used elsewhere, as this is an important part of the revitalisation of river and floodplain habitats of community interest along the river Rhine.