Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
organizations that have wider interests and remits
than just river restoration.
Within individual countries, community and
catchment-based organizations can be expected to
develop and undertake local projects. The Rivers
Trusts are a good example of this in the UK
(Newson, this volume) and in Scotland there
has been close cooperation between fisheries-
focused trusts for some time, coordinated by
the Rivers and Fisheries Trusts of Scotland
(http://www.rafts.org.uk). These Trusts usually
work in discrete catchments concentrating their
efforts on practical riparian, river and fishery
improvement works. Most have been formed as a
result of growing local awareness of environmental
degradation or concern over the decline of high-
profile species. The majority started out as riparian,
fishing or river associations but they now have
an important role in achieving broader river
improvements needed to fulfil ecological objectives
for the Water Framework Directive (Council of
the European Communities, 2000; Newson, this
volume).
Formation of an umbrella organization, the
Association of Rivers Trusts (ART) in 2001, was a
logical consequence of the long-established trusts
wishing to share information and to work more
closely with each other. With individual Rivers
Trusts now covering a large part of England and
Wales, and new ones still being formed, the aim of
the ART is 'to coordinate, represent and develop
the aims and interests of the member trusts in the
promotion of sustainable, holistic and integrated
catchment management and sound environmental
practices, recognizing the wider economic benefits
for local communities and the value of education'
(http://www.associationofriverstrusts.org.uk).
Umbrella bodies such as ART enable local
groups to be represented at influential national
and international forums. Independent local
trusts, assisting each other through an umbrella
organization could be a successful model for other
parts of the world over the next 20 years.
From its base in Brisbane, the IRF has aspirations
to develop a strong global presence with regional
centres (e.g. in Europe, USA and Canada), because
it cannot be truly international while operating
from a single Australian city base. Its focus will
remain 'healthy rivers' in its broadest sense and it
aims to work in strategic alliances with regional and
national NGOs.
Established international organizations also have
an important role in developing community
partnerships that provide major environmental and
social benefits associated with river rehabilitation.
A good example is the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization's Institute
for Water Education (UNESCO-IHE) which, since
2003, has worked with local people to promote
awareness of water management issues and to
assist with restoration projects (O'Keeffe, this
volume; http://www.unesco-ihe.org). The Institute
is the largest water education facility in the world
and will play an important global role in the wise
use of water in the future. This is a good example
of an international organization that could provide
some of the capacity building and science-based
functions
of
river
restoration
centres,
without
having a specific remit to do so.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an
NGO that is also involved in river restoration work
in the developing world. Use of freely available
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for data-
gathering has proved most successful where other
information is very limited. As WWF has no
political or institutional affiliation it can often gain
the trust of local people and undertake projects
by obtaining commercial sponsorship through,
for example, corporate social responsibility. This
combination provides a powerful and rapid means
of getting work done and information reported
with well established media coverage. Global
organizations such as the WWF, supported by the
technical and educational work of UNESCO-IHE,
are therefore expected to lead the way in broader
community-led actions that improve human and
environmental health in those countries likely to
be affected by water crises in the future.
Conclusions
From humble beginnings in the 1980s and 1990s,
river restoration has developed rapidly. It is now
