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ISSUES OF SPECIAL IMPORTANCE IN FRESHWATER CONSERVATION AND RELATED POLICY

Strive for maximum hydrologic connectivity. Maintenance of hydrological connectivity is critical to the conservation of freshwater ecosystems. For rivers, connectivity is a function of water availability, river channels for the transport of this water, and the degree of natural movement of water along longitudinal river gradients and lateral catchment gradients. High water-yield areas, headwater streams that generally compose a large percentage of the river length in a catchment, free-flowing rivers, and whole catchments (or at least the land adjacent to rivers) should be priority acquisitions for protected areas.

Dealing with widespread degradation. All production systems use water and generally high demand has led to widespread degradation. In many places, ideal conservation targets cannot be achieved and a long-term conservation goal has to start with a restoration plan. How do we stop further degradation and enable systematic and strategic restoration (or rehabilitation)? How do we marry efficiency (opportunity cost) and effectiveness (conservation outcomes) under these conditions?

Achieving cooperation across sectors and spheres of government. The function of freshwater management and conservation is typically characterized by overlapping mandates and responsibilities. Coordination and cooperation across planning sectors (e.g. agriculture, water, and environment) is essential. We need to understand the requirements and likely benefits of cooperation in this context, and promote enabling mechanisms. Achieving policy integration is one such mechanism. Vertical policy integration requires that local / sub-national policies are aligned with and support, and do not undermine, national policies; and that national policies support regional or international policies and treaties. Horizontal policy integration requires a complementary policies across related service or planning sectors at any particular level.

Facilitate co-learning in multi-use environments. Social and ecological sustainability depends on our capacity to learn together and respond to changing circumstances. In riverscapes, with a diversity of stakeholders, knowledge forms, and mental models, conservation management cannot be a search for the optimal solution for one problem but should be an ongoing learning and negotiation process with high priority for participative activities and adaptation. Concepts such as social capital and community governance become relevant. How do we design institutions so that formal structures for action and informal communities for co-learning can coexist and complement each other?

Recognizing increasing human consumption of freshwater resources. Human society uses freshwater for drinking water, irrigation, industrial use, and sanitation at an ever increasing rate. Given the critical importance of freshwaters for biodiversity and ecosystem services, future allocation of freshwater resources presents one of the most profound challenges for global conservation. Systematic strategies for freshwater conservation -- covering local to global scales -- are urgently needed. We believe that SCB should strive to take a lead role in this process by working in collaboration with other global agencies and governments.

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