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| WWF in action |
WWF-UK is actively contributing to the goals of the WWF Global Freshwater Programme using our expertise in policy work and experience gained through supporting partners, including other members of the WWF Network, in delivering freshwater projects and programmes around the world.
On this page:
Water for life (Brazil)
Restoring the web of life in the Central Yangtze (China)
Restoring a Desert Lifeline Rio Grande/Rio Conchos (Mexico/US)
Natural Rivers Programme (UK)
Great Ruaha Water Programme (Tanzania)
Water Thirsty Crops (Pakistan)
Influencing the New Europe
Amur River Basin (Russia/China)
Integrated River Basin Management, Sepik River (Papua New Guinea)
Lake Bogoria Integrated Catchment Management (Kenya)
Sustainable Sugar Initiative Godavari Basin (WWF India)
Varzea (Brazil)
Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor
Better Sugarcane Intiative (BSI)
Water for life (Brazil)
Brazil is the world's richest country in terms of freshwater availability. It is home to the planets largest continental wetlands (the Pantanal) and flooded forests (the Amazon). However, overuse and pollution threaten this resource and almost forty million families have no access to drinkable water. Drought, flood and water-borne diseases are also a risk.
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Restoring the web of life in the Central Yangtze (China)
The central Yangtze region has more lakes than anywhere else in China. In the past, these lakes played an important role in removing pollutants, retaining floodwater and preventing droughts. The free flow of water also allowed biodiversity to prosper.
However, due to land reclamation for urban and agricultural development, these lakes have been disconnected from the Yangtze River.
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Restoring a Desert Lifeline Rio Grande/Rio Conchos (Mexico/US)
The Rio Grande is the fifth longest river in North America. Covering a basin area of 170,000 square miles and 1,865 miles long, the Rio Grande and its tributary in Mexico, the Rio Conchos, support an exceptional web of wildlife including hundreds of species of birds, native mammals, fish and reptiles. The river basin, which hosts one of the fastest growing communities in the US and Mexico, supports a population of over nine million people.
Economic land-use development in relation to farming and flood control and increased demand for drinking water have significantly altered the rivers flow, sediment load, channel, floodplain and river corridor. The health of the Rio Grande eco-system is failing due to pollution and over utilization of the water that has been diverted from natural resources to irrigate fields and supply towns.
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Natural Rivers Programme (UK)
The WWF-UK Natural Rivers Programme, funded to the tune of £1.7million by HSBC, is made up of project activities taking place in all four countries in the UK. Through practical projects and policy, research and lobbying of governments, farmers and industry, WWF aims to ultimately influence the implementation of the new EU Water Framework Directive which demands that all river systems are sustainably managed for the benefit of people and nature.
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Find out more about the HSBC partnership.
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Great Ruaha Water Programme (Tanzania)
Recent years have seen marked decreases in dry season flows in the Great Ruaha River, sometimes for as long as 111 consecutive days. Research shows that this is due to uncontrolled or poor water management within the rice irrigation schemes, as well as destructive fishing practices, dry season vegetable growing, livestock grazing, deforestation and small-scale mining.
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Water Thirsty Crops (Pakistan)
Better management practices of cotton and sugar farms to provide sustainable sources of clean freshwater to support the livelihoods of poor communities in Pakistan.
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This project is supported by the European Union
To visit the EU Delegation's
web site as well as the
EuropeAid Co-operation Office
programmes Click here
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Other Freshwater Projects in the WWF UK portfolio include:
Influencing the New Europe
This Programme aims to protect the region's natural heritage through the implementation of progressive policies such as the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive, whilst tackling other damaging policies which threaten wildlife (from brown bears to butterflies) and their habitats across the enlarged EU.
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Amur River Basin (Russia/China)
This is one of the richest freshwater ecoregions in Eurasia, particularly for fish species and ancient river systems. But fishing pressure in parts of this ecoregion is intense, including poaching of salmon on breeding grounds for roe, and drift netting for salmon in international waters. In addition to damaging activities such as mining and logging, oil and gas drilling threaten fish habitat through dumping of drilling mud and the potential of oil spills.
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Integrated River Basin Management, Sepik River (Papua New Guinea)
The project aims to assist the government and local stakeholders to design an integrated river basin management (IRBM) framework for the Sepik river. This framework will protect biological diversity and ecological processes while promoting the sustainable management of natural resources supported by a properly implemented catchment policy.
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Lake Bogoria Integrated Catchment Management (Kenya)
Lake Bogoria became Kenya's third Ramsar site in April 2000, after Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivaisha. Its catchment is an important birdlife area. While not much else can withstand the heat and salinity of this relatively unpolluted lake, flamingos feed in their thousands. There are an estimated 350 bird species. Issues include population growth and the rising demand for land adjoining the lake, land clearance and inappropriate agriculture increasing the risk of soil erosion and siltation of the lake, increased numbers of cattle coming into the area, solid waste and water pollution, increasing water use from streams flowing into the lake altering the hydrological balance of the lake and poaching of the greater kudu for its horns and meat.
The objective of this project is that local communities accrue socio economic benefits from sustainable natural resource use. Generation of information for livelihood improvement activities, resource monitoring, planning and management of Lake Bogoria National Reserve. Development with stakeholders of integrated plan for the lake. To review existing tenure rights, resource use practices and recommend appropriate policy alternatives.
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Sustainable Sugar Initiative Godavari Basin (WWF India)
The water used for various crops is not only environmentally sustainable but also economically unviable. The impact that such water intensive crops "Thirsty Crops" have on the ecosystem are tremendous and the interlinked social impacts are also very high. To look into this issue for wise use of water for crops is what this initiative is all about.
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This project is supported by the European Union
To visit the EU Delegation's
web site as well as the
EuropeAid Co-operation Office
programmes Click here
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Varzea (Brazil)
The Várzea (meaning floodplain) is one of the most important ecoregions in the Amazon River basin. This importance goes far beyond its high biodiversity and ecological productivity, as this natural resource has been supplying the local population, including some of the poorest people in the world, and the economy of the region for centuries.
Every year the Amazon River rises more than 30 feet (9 m) and floods surrounding forests. These rising waters replenish nutrients in floodplain areas and regenerate floodplain lakes, floating meadows, and other seasonal habitats. Freshwater fish move into these flooded forests and often feed on the fruits that drop from the trees.
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Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor
Over one billion people worldwide live without clean, safe drinking water and over two billion without basic sanitation. WSUP - Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor - exists to help change that. To provide the water and sanitation that the rest of us take for granted.
Working in poor urban areas, WSUP is an innovative organisation that brings together local and global expertise to provide sustainable water and sanitation solutions for poor communities. WWF is a member of this organisation.
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Better Sugarcane Intiative (BSI)
The Better Sugarcane Initiative (BSI) is a collaboration of progressive sugarcane retailers, investors, traders, producers and NGOs who are committed to developing internationally-applicable baselines that define sustainable sugar cane. BSI is an international initiative with the Steering Committee based around the world. The end result of BSI will be a set of standards which can be used by companies and investors across the globe as sourcing and investment screens and by producers to enhance the long-term sustainability of production.
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WWF-UK > Research > Issues > Freshwater > WWF in action
