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 As
part of the framework of the IUCN Global Freshwater Initiative,
a work session was held June 19 in San José among specialists
in water resources and catchment management in the Mesoamerican
region.
The workshop had the following goals:
- Develop a common knowledge based n participants'
experiences in catchment management;
- Identify key activities in Freshwater Ecosystem
Management;
- Identify the main gaps in catchment and
freshwater resources administration; and
- Provide guidelines on how IUCN-Mesoamerica
could support the development and implementation of catchment
management along with institutions in the region.
Activities:
- Background: A presentation on IUCN's mission and activities
and a summary of the Freshwater Initiative and various aspects
of freshwater ecosystems administration, such as the environmental
services provided by catchments, impacts from natural events,
such as Hurricane Mitch, from a perspective of catchment management,
and considerations concerning the Action Plan for Integrated
Water Management in the Central American Isthmus (Plan de Acción
para el Manejo Integrado del Agua en el Istmo Centroamericano
- PACADIRH), now in a process of discussion.
- Identification of key actions being carried out in the
region: In this section certain institutions and regional
projects for freshwater and catchment management were identified
through mapping of institutions and activities related to freshwater
resources.
- Analysis of Gaps: Based on the information provided
by participants and other available information, such as the
document analyzing the Action Plan for Water in the Central
American Isthmus, information gaps concerning catchment and
freshwater ecosystems management were identified.
- Definition of priority areas and guidelines for IUCN:
The identification of general themes and areas of work where
IUCN could participate in collaboration with members and partner
institutions.
Principal recommendations from workshop participants
were to:
I. Direct efforts to create awareness
through public information campaigns about:
- The current state of water resources
- The value of water
- Rights and obligations of water resource users
- Linkage between policies and practices in the administration
of integrated catchment management
II. Synthesis of existing knowledge:
- Continue to produce ongoing publications on the current state
of management or advances in the area of integrated catchment
management
- Publish separate versions for the water-user public
- Identify and disseminate gaps in integrated management of
freshwater ecosystems
III. Work on building capacity to monitor
the quality and quantity of water resources, including:
- Legal aspects of freshwater management
- Investigation of freshwater biodiversity
- Basic ecological requirements of freshwater ecosystems
IV. Influence government agencies, nongovernmental
organizations and the private sector concerning policy and guidelines
for work:
- Influence in the area of freshwater ecosystem management and
biodiversity conservation
- Influence strategies so they are directed at defined target
groups
V. Promote a network of experts and decision
makers, including:
- The private sector, consultants, companies connected with
electrical generation, tourism businesses and others
Copies of the workshop report and a series
of forms have been distributed for suggestions and contributions
concerning the formation of the Freshwater Initiative in Mesoamerica.
Other activities have included informational
meetings with regional IUCN members and key institutions in the
investigation and implementation of management projects, as well
as social and community participation. In addition, field visits
were made to various catchment areas for the purpose of learning
about management experiences.
Institutions contacted included: Centro de
Investigaciones en Desarrollo Sostenible (CIEDES); the Costa Rican
Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MINAE); The Nature Conservancy
(TNC), Costa Rica-Panama Office; and the National Council of Nongovernmental
Organizations (Consejo Nacional de Organismos No gubernamentales
(CONAO), in Costa Rica. The catchment areas visited are located
in Costa Rica, and included the Chirripó River Basin, the
communities of Buenavista and Quebradas; the Tempisque River,
and the basin and delta of the San Juan River, between Costa Rica
and Nicaragua.
To collaborate in this IUCN-Mesoamerica initiative,
send your contact information and comments to us at the following
addresses:
Rocío Córdoba, Coordinator
of the Wetlands and Coastal Zones Program
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (506) 236-2733 Fax (506) 240-9934
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