About the new generation of watershed management

In 2002, the FAO Forestry Department launched a comprehensive global review of current watershed management practice. The inspiration and purpose of this exercise is well captured by its title: “Preparing for the next generation of watershed management programmes and projects”.

The review included a desk study, four regional meetings and one international conference. It involved more than 80 institutions and 300 professionals. It was part of FAO’s activities as task manager for Chapter 13, Agenda 21, and of the follow-up to the International Years of Mountains 2002 and Freshwater 2003. During the review’s final international conference (Water Resources for the Future), theSassari Declarationwas issued.

The wealth of materials produced during the review process was published and disseminated in 2005 and 2006. Two national (Burundi and Nepal) and two regional (Latin America and the Mediterranean basin) case studies and five volumes of workshop and conference proceedings were published. All these materials can be downloaded in PDF format from thepublicationspage. The flagship publication of the exercise isFAO Forestry Paper No. 150The new generation of watershed management programmes and projects. This resource book for practitioners and local decision-makers is based on a thorough analysis and reflection of the review findings, and outlines the way forward in watershed management.