22 February 2023 This sourcebook provides advice on how to incorporate disaster risk reduction and resilience building into the watershed management process. As an increasingly heavy toll is exerted on agriculture and food systems by drought, floods, wildfires, and other extreme events, adopting risk reduction and management practices must become an integral part of watershed management. [more]
25 August 2021 Intact native forests and well-managed planted forests can be a relatively cheap approach to water management while generating multiple co-benefits. This paper argues that water-centered forests can provide nature-based solutions to ensuring global water resilience. This guide reviews emerging techniques and methodologies, provides guidance and recommendations on how to manage forests for their water ecosystem services, and offers insights into the business and economic cases for managing forests for water ecosystem services. [more]
12 July 2021 This elearning course is intended to provide on overview of forest and water relationships, and an understanding of the impacts of changing landscapes on water resources. It can be used as a stand-alone course for those interested in learning about the forest-water nexus, or as an introduction for those who will engage in workshops using the FAO capacity development facilitation guide on Advancing the Forest and Water Nexus. [more]
5 December 2019 Forested watersheds provide an estimated 75 percent of the world’s accessible freshwater resources, on which more than half the Earth’s people depend for domestic, agricultural, industrial and environmental purposes. Forests therefore, are vital natural infrastructure, and their management can provide “nature-based solutions” for a range of water-related societal challenges. [more]
21 October 2019 FAO’s Forest and Water Programme has developed a module-based capacity development facilitation guide for project and community stakeholders involved in forest, water and natural resource management to ensure we apply our knowledge to better manage forests and trees for their multiple benefits, including water quantity, quality and the associated socio-economic benefits that people within and outside forests so heavily depend on. [more]
4 July 2019 The publication of the flyer intends to disseminate the work of the Forest and Water Programme. It is cover the importance of integrated forest and water management and demonstrate the role of the Forest and Water Programme in this context, providing an overview on the vision, mission, goals and activities of the programme. [more]
1 October 2018 The objectives of this study are to further improve our understanding about the ways in which payments for ecosystem services schemes can be applied to forests, in particular focusing on forest’s hydrological functions for the mutual benefit of both humans and the environment. In addition, the study covers advances and challenges facing these schemes and provides practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners. This study contains the most comprehensive currently available database of case studies on water-related payment for forest ecosystem services schemes in the UNECE region. [more]
8 May 2018 This study reviewed the achievements, and also the shortcomings, of 12 watershed management projects technically supported by FAO over the past decade, with a view to learning from experience. Watershed management is best carried out as a stepwise multistakeholder process. The review identified the following areas for moving forward: institutional strengthening for improved watershed governance; watershed monitoring; capitalizing on increased data availability; knowledge sharing and learning; and strategic partnerships for joint action on the ground. [more]
1 March 2018 This working paper summarizes the outcomes of a meeting with 12 experts from the forest and water sectors hosted parallel to World Water Week. Except of the outcomes, this publication covers a background to the connection of forests and water, forest-water issues, and a joint statement on forest and water relationships. The statement can be downloaded separately here. This publication has been co-authored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and SIWI. [more]
1 March 2016 The involvement of communities in watershed management is essential. Communities are effected by what happens in a watershed, and their actions influence the downstream availability and quality of water, as well as other ecosystem services. Ensuring gender balance in decision-making processes is a key element in the new generation of watershed management programmes and projects. A case study from Pakistan supports the importance of gender equality in watershed management. [more]
11 December 2015 This study presents an updated geographic and demographic picture of the world’s mountain areas and assesses the vulnerability to food insecurity of mountain dwellers in developing countries, based on a specially designed model. The final section presents an alternative and complementary approach to assessing hunger by analyzing household surveys. [more]
21 March 2013 Forests play a crucial role in the hydrological cycle. Forests influence the amount of water available and regulate surface and groundwater flows while maintaining high water quality. Forests and trees contribute to the reduction of water-related risks such as landslides, local floods and droughts and help prevent desertification and salinization. Forested watersheds supply a high proportion of the world’s accessible fresh water for domestic, agricultural, industrial and ecological needs in both upstream and downstream areas. [more]
1 January 2008 This thematic study on forests and water was developed in the context of the Global Forest Resources Assessment programme.The availability and quality of clean water in many regions of the world is increasingly threatened by overuse, misuse and pollution. In this context, the relationship between forests and water is a critical issue that must be accorded high priority. Forested catchments supply a high proportion of the water for domestic, agricultural, industrial and ecological needs in both upstream and downstream areas. [more]
1 April 2007 Foresters and water management specialists are cooperating more closely than ever before, but their exchange of expertise could be developed further. Informed decisions about integrated forest and water management depend on applied research and its dissemination to policy-makers. With this issue of Unasylva we hope to enhance the flow of information, knowledge – and safe water. [more]
28 February 2007 The Action Plan presents the tangible integration of science, policy and practice of forest-water interactions, and seeks to encourage greater commitment to sustainable forest and water management. The Forests and Water: a Five-year Action Plan calls for the tangible integration of science, policy and practice related to forest-water interactions. It emerged from the discussions and recommendations of the Forests and Water Agenda, which would like to encourage greater engagement of stakeholders from around the world in the topic of forests and water. [more]
1 January 2004 This case study is based on national reports prepared with support from FAO. This study also reviews an FAO report on lessons leart from regional watershed management projects, as well as the results of information sharing and managmeent issues. The case study analyses the evolution and validation of conceptual freameworks and methodological approaches to watershed manadmenet, as well as first hand experiences from projects and programmes. [more]
1 January 2004 Watershed management concepts and approaches practiced within the Mediterranean region are adressed with comparisons made to EC and non EC countries. This study provides future recommendations for the next generation of watershed management within the region. [more]
1 January 2004 This case study provides an in-depth analysis of Nepal's views, efforts and achievements in watershed managment. Its primary objective is, on the basis of the findings made from the analysis, to make recommendations for the next generation of watershed management projects and programmes. It contributes valuable information and inspirations from a country strongly marked by the mountain ecosystems and processes that affect communities living in them. [more]
1 January 2004 This document is one of four case studies that were prepared in FAO's global review of integrated watershed managment practicies. The document focuses on comprehensive and integrated swamp management in Burundi. [more]
24 October 2003 The International Watershed Management Conference on Water Resources for the Future was held from 22 to 24 October 2003, in Sardinia (Italy) at Porto Cervo, Province of Sassari. This location offered a very appropriate venue for the conference, because water scarcity, soil erosion, low forest cover and opportunities for tourism development in Sardinia offer issues to discuss and share that are very relevant to approaches related to watershed management in many other areas of the world. The international conference was the culmination of a series of regional workshops. The conference, which brought together about 67 participants representing 19 countries, provided a forum for inter-regional exchange on watershed management and water-related issues. [more]
10 October 2003 The FAO and its partners undertook a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends regarding knowledge about and techniques for integrated watershed management. These are the proceedings from the African Regional Workshop on Preparing the Next Generation of Watershed Management Programmes held at the ICRAF's offices in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop brought together 42 researchers, educators, development experts, river basin managers and government officials responsible for agriculture, environment, lands and water from 13 African countries, the United Kingdom, the East African Community Secretariat, FAO and ICRAF. [more]
13 September 2003 This publications contains the proceedings of the Asia Regional Workshop on sustainable mountain development and watershed management held in Kathmandu, Nepal conducted as part of a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends of integrated watershed management. [more]
17 June 2003 As an element of FAO’s wider review and assessment process of watershed management strategies and approaches for the decade 1990 to 2000, the Latin American Regional Workshop on Preparing the Next Generation of Watershed Management Programmes and Projects was held from 15 to 17 June 2003 in Arequipa, Peru. This document summarizes the proceedings. [more]
4 September 2002 This document summarizes the proceedings of a European workshop held as part of a global review of the current status and trends of integrated watershed management. The European Regional Workshop was hosted on 4 September 2002 by the Ville de Megève, France. Megève, meaning “the place of waters” in Celtic, is a renowned international tourist resort and is indeed at the centre of water and watershed management challenges, its concern being to sustain the balance between mountain ecological and economic interests. [more]