About the River Pearls PLUS label
The River Pearls PLUS label honours unspoilt water bodies and the commitment of the local people to protect it. It was developed by WWF Switzerland and its partners on a voluntary basis as an innovative instrument for protecting and preserving the last stretches of natural rivers and streams in Switzerland and upgrading their catchment areas.
Here’s why the label is needed
Because the label contributes to preserving biodiversity.
Our water bodies form important refuges for fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, plants and algae. However, human influences such as construction, straightening and pollution are taking an increasing toll on these refuges. Artificial barriers obstruct connectivity between populations, preventing fish migrating to their spawning grounds, for example. Today 75% of Swiss fish and crustacean species are already endangered or extinct. If this trend is not to continue, we need to protect our natural water bodies. That is precisely what our label aims to do.
Because the label protects valuable habitats.
Floodplains are key ecological habitats that are now found almost exclusively along natural rivers and streams. They are vital to the survival of about half of all domestic plant species and offer a home to over 1,000 animal species – even though they only make up about half of one per cent of Switzerland’s surface area. Ninety per cent of all floodplains in Switzerland have been lost through canalisation, straightening, drainage and fragmentation. If we are to protect our remaining floodplains, we need to preserve our unspoilt water bodies. That, too, is what our River Pearls PLUS label is all about.
Because the label plugs a gap in the protection of our water bodies.
Current Swiss legislation offers only inadequate protection to water bodies, and political pressure to soften these legal protections is and remains high. New statutory regulations that better protect our ecosystems often take years to come into force. Furthermore, laws on paper do not necessarily mean that protection is implemented in practice. Our label plugs this gap by bringing different interest groups together on a voluntary basis to protect their stretches of natural water bodies. This makes the label an innovative instrument enabling the local population to preserve the last still intact river pearls.
Certified river pearls
Here, we present the certified watercourse sections and the label holders in detail.
Beverin
Label holder: municipality of Bever
Chamuera
Label holder: municipality La Punt Chamues-ch
Goldach
Label holder: Goldach-Gewässerperle PLUS Association
Mässerbach
Label holder: Binntal Nature Park
Breggia
Label holder: municipalities Breggia and Castel San Pietro
Roggenhausenbach
Label holder: Aarau Citizens' Community
Ongoing certifications
The River Pearl PLUS label is attracting a great deal of interest. Certification processes are currently underway for the following waters and label holders, among others:
- Morge (VS), local authorities of Savièse and Conthey
- Magliasina (TI)
- Tièche (VS), local authority of Crans-Montana
Recognised waters
Every year, an independent jury selects Swiss streams and rivers for us, which we recognize for their natural state and beauty. At the national Watercourse Ceremony, we thank the municipalities situated alongside these waters. We encourage them to consciously maintain the current state – for instance by getting certified with the River Pearl PLUS label.
- 2024: Brancla (GR), Buron (VD), Chiene (BE), La Tièche (VS), Lorze (ZG, ZH), Magliasina (TI), Necker/Thur (SG), Zulg (BE)
- 2023: Areuabach (GR), Breggia (TI), Chärstelenbach (UR), Emme (BE), Glütschbach (BE), Morge (VS), Nozon (VD), Printse (VS), Rotbach (LU), Talent (VD)
I’m interested in certification
Are you keen to see your free-flowing river or natural stream get the recognition it deserves? Find out more here.
I’d like to do something for a water body
Do you want to do something to preserve our valuable water bodies? Find out more here.
