U.N. International Year of Freshwater 2003 set - Italy will host International Conference on Integrated Watershed Management

Watersources 2000

10/3/03

As a follow-up to the International Year of Mountains 2002 and a contribution to the International Year of Freshwater 2003, the Province of Sassari, Sardinia, Italy, has generously accepted to host/sponsor the International Conference on Integrated Watershed Management. The Conference is organised by the Province of Sassari, FAO and the European Observatory of Mountain Forests, in collaboration with: UNESCO, UNEP, World Bank, International Office for Water, Commissione Interministeriale per la Politica sull’Acqua nel Mediterraneo, European Union Task Force on Water, French Office National des Forêts, Institut de la Montagne, France.

BACKGROUND

It is generally accepted that sustainable use and management of land resources can effectively been achieved by adopting an improved land, water and ecosystem approach based on the integration of resources and the direct involvement of the different actors at all level. In this sense, considerable progress has been achieved in watershed management, especially during the 1990-2000 period, where new approaches and methods have been developed.
However, the question raised is what has been really working and what can be done to improve future watershed management policies and programmes? In order to provide information on lessons learned and existing gaps, FAO has launched early 2002, within the International Year of Mountains related events, a review and assessment of watershed management approaches and strategies, in collaboration with several key partners. After a stocktaking exercise and case studies analysis, a series of regional workshops has been organised with different audiences involved in watershed management.
Before the dissemination of results, the International Conference of Sardinia will provide an opportunity for a high-level synthesis and further investigation, bringing together all major actors/partners in watershed management related issues.

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