EU’s stream restoration law prioritises structure over function—why biodiversity gains may not heal ecosystems
Original framing: “Stream restoration improves biodiversity but not necessarily ecosystem functioning” — Phys.org
Indigenous water knowledge systems, such as the *Anishinaabe* *giigoonh* (water teachings) or the *Maori* concept of *awhe* (living waters), treat rivers as relational networks where biodiversity and function are inseparable from cultural practices like controlled burns or fish weirs. These systems often prioritise *keystone species* (e.g., beavers, salmon) and *seasonal flows* over structural fixes, yet such approaches are excluded from EU policy toolkits. For example, the *Mebengokrê* in Brazil’s Xingu Basin have restored 200+ km of river corridors by integrating *agroforestry* with natural floodplain dynamics, achieving both biodiversity and functional resilience—outcomes conventional restoration rarely measures.