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The Nature Conservancy Observes World Water Day, March 22

The Nature Conservancy works with partners, governments and organizations in Georgia and around the world to ensure protection of freshwater resources 

ATLANTA — March 21, 2007— With less than 1 percent of the Earth’s water accessible for human use, The Nature Conservancy is working with governments and communities around the globe to address the growing crisis of water scarcity. In observance of his year’s World Water Day (March 22), The Nature Conservancy encourages Georgians to join its water conservation efforts by making small, yet significant, changes in their everyday lives to ensure a clean and bountiful supply of water to sustain the needs of people and nature – today and far into the future.

Today, more than 1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. And more than 20 percent of the world’s freshwater fish species have become extinct, with the most recent being China’s baiji dolphin. A number of imperiled species in Georgia waters could face a similar fate, including the shortnose surgeon in the Savannah River and the spiny mussel in the Altamaha River. Yet, The Nature Conservancy’s efforts in Georgia and around the world could save these ailing species from further decline.

"With increasing demands placed on the world’s water supply for safe drinking water, hydropower generation and agriculutre, it is becoming increasingly important to safeguard an already finite resource for people and nature," said Brian Richter, director of The Nature Conservancy’s Sustainable Waters Program. "The more we can work together, the more solutions we will find that benefit all life on this planet."

Conserving Georgia’s Freshwater Resources

For nearly 40 years, The Nature Conservancy has been working in Georgia to protect land and water resources. As human activity on land directly impacts the quality and quantity of freshwater, the Conservancy has ensured the protection of more than 258,000 acres throughout the state. Currently, the Conservancy is working in eight rivers to protect the quantity and quality of freshwater – Altamaha, Chattahoochee, Conasauga, Etowah, Flint, Ogeechee, Savannah and St. Marys rivers.

"With careful planning and management of our water resources, we can meet the needs of both people and nature," said Mary Davis, southern regional aquatic ecologist for The Nature Conservancy. "In Georgia, we are using innovative approaches and sound science to ensure there is an adequate supply of water to meet growing human needs while protecting our fragile environment which relies on clean, flowing water."

Some examples of The Nature Conservancy’s water conservation work in Georgia include:

Improving Farming Practices with Technology
The Nature Conservancy is collaborating with the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and other partners to help farmers along the lower Flint River effectively irrigate their crops with less water. To date, 20 farmers have installed variable rate irrigation systems, technology developed by the University of Georgia’s National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Laboratory, to irrigate a combined 3,200 acres. During the 2005 growing season, the Conservancy documented an average water savings of 17 percent per farmer – for a total of 128 million gallons of water.

Restoring Streambanks to Supports Aquatic Life
Eleven students on spring break from Grand Valley State University volunteered with The Nature Conservancy to restore one-half mile of streambank along Holly Creek, a tributary of the Conasauga River. With trees and shrubs purchased as part of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Landowner Incentive Program, the volunteers are helping Pat Tanksley, a private landowner and Conservancy partner, to restore a riparian buffer zone. The buffer zone will filter nutrients and sediments out of stormwater before it reaches the river, stabilize the streambank to reduce erosion, and attract birds and other native wildlife.

While The Nature Conservancy and its partners are making significant headway in the race to save our freshwater resources, conservation efforts can be enhanced through the support of individuals who take small, meaningful steps to protect and improve the quality of water close to home.

Here are just a few recommendations for conserving water:

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to protect freshwater resources in Georgia and around the globe, visit nature.org. Detailed stories as part of a World Water Day feature will take you around the globe – and to your backyard – to witness how the Conservancy and its partners are advancing the conservation of water resources through technology, partnerships and field work.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.