Since 2019 the Flemish government works on the Flemish Action Program for Ecological Defragmentation. Until now this program focusses on roads. Starting from 2025 we wish to develop an integrated approach for inland waterways. Strongly human influenced navigable waterways (canals) have unnatural and very steep to vertical slopes. Although most animals are good swimmers, they cannot exit the water after entering and drown. Canals are therefore hard borders for nature and species migration that divide habitats and prevent healthy gene exchange. Solutions are necessary. The nature restoration law acknowledges this within the goals for connectivity and free flowing rivers.

However, defragmentation of waterways needs a different approach than roads. Fencing for ecological guiding is difficult because of the double function of the water body as barrier for most species but habitat for some. Fauna exits need to be numerous and well placed, but present possible safety and management issues. Monitoring is a challenge on his own.

In this session we will present current knowledge, solutions and approach in Flanders as an introduction. Solutions comprise roadside bridges, several types of animal escapes, fish passages and spawning places. In an interactive part we wish to gather good practices and knowledge, discuss challenges, unsolved problems, possibilities for innovative monitoring techniques and future research projects. This session could be a first step for an international working group on this theme complying with the requirements of the nature restoration law.