14 November 2014: Freshwater biodiversity is not well represented in protected areas (PAs), according to an assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released at the World Parks Congress.

The assessment identified, mapped and validated 167 freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Mediterranean region, finding that an estimated 75% were found outside the boundaries of existing PAs. The assessment recommends establishing a more representative PA network for freshwater species and inland wetland conservation in the Mediterranean Basin.

“KBAs are fragile freshwater ecosystems, which must be properly managed as part of Integrated River Basin Management planning, accounting for the wide range of uses of water across sectors,” said Jörg Freyhof, co-author of the assessment. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has recognized the role of KBAs in reaching PA targets.

The project is “putting freshwater biodiversity on the map in a region of the world where pressures on inland wetlands are rapidly driving species to the edge of extinction,” explained Will Darwall, Manager, the IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Unit. He said a crucial next step is “to build widespread awareness of these important sites and to stimulate targeted conservation on the ground.”

The assessment also identifies primary threats to freshwater species, including invasive alien species (IAS), water pollution, increasingly severe droughts, hydrological changes as a result of dam construction and over-abstraction of ground and surface waters.

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), the MAVA Foundation and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) funded the project. The Work Parks Congress is taking place from 12-19 November, in Sydney, Australia. [IUCN Press Release] [Project Website] [Freshwater KBA Database] [IISD RS coverage of World Parks Congress]