The spark has lit a fire across the border: river pearls in Germany
The very first four river pearl candidates have been nominated in Germany. The four streams and rivers are located in southern Germany. The Swiss River Pearls Association was in Kempten in the Allgäu for the ceremony on 19 May 2026.
“Join us to celebrate the river!” was the invitation on 19 May 2026, when WWF Germany staged its first nomination event for river pearl candidates. Four natural rivers in southern Germany were nominated and the commitment of the local community was recognised in the atmospheric Salon pub in the historic centre of Kempten (Allgäu), not far from the impressive Iller river. Representatives of the relevant municipalities and local associations responded to the invitation in significant number.
The following water bodies were nominated:
- The Saalach (southeastern Bavaria) marks the border between Germany and Austria, with the nominated section running between St. Martin bei Lofer and Unterjettenberg.
- The Breitach (Bavaria) rises in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg and flows into the Iller. It features widely branching sections and deep gorges, including the deepest rock gorge in Europe, the Breitachklamm, where the 5.4 km-long nominated section is also located.
- The Haidgauer Ach (Baden-WĂĽrttemberg), characterised by its natural features and nestled amongst numerous moors within the Wurzacher Ried nature reserve, has been nominated along its entire length of 4.5 km.
- The Schwarze Regen (eastern Bavaria) is a siliceous highland river in the Bavarian Forest. It is largely unspoilt between Treisnach and the village of Regen, where it is also known as “Bavarian Canada”.
The Swiss River Pearls Association also sent two of its board members to the event, with Gabriele Aebli, managing director of the association, reporting on their experience in Switzerland. Following the river ceremony, the guests engaged in a lively discussion about the opportunities associated with the nomination and the next steps towards achieving the label.
“We are absolutely delighted that the label developed in Switzerland has made the leap across the border,” says Gabriele Aebli. “It is our hope that the positive mood at the river celebration will soon be followed by concrete steps towards the first certification in Germany.” As representatives of the individual authorities responsible for the nominated water bodies have suggested, this does indeed seem likely to happen soon.
The River Pearls PLUS label was developed by the WWF and other partners in Switzerland. The first two rivers were certified in Engadin in 2021, since when no less than seven water bodies have already achieved certification. WWF Germany took over the label in 2023.
Article on the German website: Nominierung von vier potenziellen Gewässerperlen-Kandidaten - Gewässerperlen