The Nature Conservancy's Water Platform

Chiquitano girl with fishing net in Bolivia in South America. © Hermes Justiniano Freshwater Projects The following is just a small selection of the Conservancy's many freshwater conservation projects: The Sustainable Rivers Project - A partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers The Great Rivers Partnership - An international effort to protect large river systems on three continents The Great Lakes Program - Conserving North America's greatest freshwater asset Explore other Conservancy freshwater conservation projects. "We can only sustain human life and well-being with healthy rivers, lakes, wetlands, and estuaries. What is good for nature is good for people"   Strategies for Success The Conservancy works with a wide array of partners and employs a range of strategies to address impacts on freshwater resources from: Energy Production Farming and Irrigation Cities and Urban Areas Floods and Floodplains

Freshwater Ecosystems: Key to Human Health

Freshwater ecosystems are essential to human life. They support us with water, food, and building materials. They provide a wealth of natural services that support human civilization, including cleansing the waters that flow through them, delivering nutrients to floodplains, wetlands, and estuaries, and moderating floods and droughts. They enrich our lives with beauty, providing places for recreation and spiritual connection.

Water is the life-blood of freshwater ecosystems. When human activities alter the patterns of water flow through these natural systems, their health suffers and their ability to support us weakens. 

Meeting the Needs of a Growing Population

The growing human population is placing ever-greater demands on available freshwater supplies. In many parts of the world, available water resources will need to be further developed to grow food, support cities and industrial production, and generate electricity. Governments around the world have pledged to work together to provide adequate access to clean water, sanitation, and electricity for all of humanity. The Nature Conservancy fully supports these endeavors to improve the human condition. 

We believe that these human needs can be met without sacrificing the health of the natural systems upon which all life depends. We can only sustain human life and well-being with healthy rivers, lakes, wetlands, and estuaries. What is good for nature is good for people.

The water flows needed to support healthy freshwater ecosystems have been degraded around the globe. Dialogues, policies and programs focused on integrated water resource management, poverty alleviation, or sustainable development have not adequately taken ecosystem water needs into consideration. Adequate “environmental flows” and naturally-fluctuating lake levels to support freshwater ecosystem health must be protected or restored as an explicit consideration of any development or management program.

Leadership and Partnership

The Nature Conservancy is providing global leadership in demonstrating how water flows can be managed to meet human needs while sustaining ecosystem health. We work with local stakeholders to help bring their ecosystem-dependent needs and values to the decision tables. We help craft scientific approaches and tools to define the water needs of ecosystems. We work with water managers around the world to protect and restore natural patterns of water flow. We build alliances to push for new water policies that embrace environmental sustainability. 

We are demonstrating that human needs and prosperity can be fully realized while maintaining the health of freshwater ecosystems, if ecosystem water needs are fully integrated into water planning and management. We invite everyone to join us in this endeavor to design a sustainable future for people and nature.