Freshwater Ecosystem Conservation: Towards a Comprehensive Water Resources Management Strategy

Conservation of freshwater biodiversity has been seriously neglected throughout the world, and entire ecosystems are threatened with extinction. Unfortunately, freshwater sustainability issues do not appear to be a primary consideration in the planning and implementation of water use projects, nor in the allocation of use permits. This paper discusses the value and function of Latin American freshwater ecosystems and gives a comprehensive approach to developing a sustainable water resources management policy. Case studies of the network of private nature reserves in Colombia, restoring the Mississippi River wetlands, and the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway project are presented.