The Oder River runs along the heart of Poland, a place of quiet bends, wetlands, and migratory flyways that once teemed with life. For Piotr Chara, it was also home. As a child, he spent countless days by the river’s edge with his father, fishing and watching the skies alive with wings. But as the years passed, Piotr’s lens began to capture a different story, one of absence. Species that once filled the wetlands were vanishing.

Wings of the Oder, a Rivers are Life film, tells the story of what Piotr chose to do next. Today, he is more than a wildlife photographer. He is a River Hero, dedicated to restoring the habitats that once defined his childhood river. Alongside his family, Piotr has built an organization that creates floating nests, reclaims eroded wetlands, and gives migratory birds a fighting chance to return.

Through his award-winning photography, Piotr documents both the fragility and resilience of this ecosystem. But his work goes beyond images—it’s about rewilding a river. Floating structures provide safe breeding grounds for vulnerable species. Wetland restoration projects bring back the natural balance that birds, fish, and humans alike depend on.

This is not just a conservation project; it’s a generational story. A boy who grew up on the Oder is now raising his own children to defend it. Through community engagement, science-driven projects, and the power of storytelling, Piotr is proving that the future of the Oder, and its wings, is not yet lost.

Wings of the Oder is a reminder that rivers carry memory, culture, and family across time. Protecting them means protecting all the life that relies on their flow.