Watershed Governance for Sustaining Ecosystem Services: Public Policies, Planning and Management

Abstract

The people of the world continue to demand sustainable sources of freshwater for meeting their daily needs, for continuing economic development, and for maintaining a stable and healthful environment. In meeting these needs based on sustaining ecosystem services, the historic sectoral approach to water resources management has led to degraded waterbodies and an inability of governments to meet the demand for safe and secure sources of freshwater. In recent years, water resources management experience has highlighted the need for an integrated management approach that involves all stakeholders, including citizens, scientists and policy-makers, as well as effective organizations that are adequately funded and fully staffed. In this paper, we review some of the key considerations that are fundamental to effective water resources management and demonstrate the necessary and fundamental link between policies, plans and management actions.