Posted on June 24, 2026
By Ana Alice
In the Nordic Taiga, a river marked by logging undergoes ecological restoration with sediments transported by helicopter, bed recomposition, and scientific monitoring to track the return of aquatic habitats.
The Abramsån River, a tributary of the Råneälven located about 45 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, has become one of the most visible examples of river restoration in the Nordic Taiga region.
After decades of modifications made to facilitate timber transport, Rewilding Sweden has been conducting a project since 2023 to restore part of the lost natural structure to the watercourse.
The initiative combines the repositioning of stones, sand, gravel, and dead wood, along with scientific monitoring to assess the response of organisms living at the riverbed.
In 2024, one of the most unusual stages of the project involved the aerial transport of 180 tons of sand and gravel to already restored sections of the Abramsån.
The material was dropped by helicopter to accelerate the recomposition of micro-habitats that, according to the project, could take centuries to form again through natural processes.
Restoration of the Abramsån River recovers area affected by logging
The intervention seeks to recover sections of the upper Abramsån that were simplified by old works related to logging.
According to Rewilding Sweden, the modifications began before the 1880s and included the removal of stones, gravel, dead wood, and other natural structures that helped slow down the water.
These elements also created pools, rapids, spawning areas, and shelters used by fish, aquatic insects, and freshwater mussels.
In some areas, the impact was even more intense.
