NWNL: Mission & Goals

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PROJECT MISSION AND GOALS

No Water No Life combines the powers of photography, scientific research and stakeholder knowledge to raise awareness of the vital importance of freshwater resources, perils of watershed degradation and opportunities for sustainable resource management. A long-term and globally focused project, No Water No Life’s goals are to:

Document the availability, usage and quality of critical freshwater resources;
Educate stakeholders through publications, lectures, exhibits and curricula;
Foster partnerships within and across geopolitical boundaries.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

No Water No Life (NWNL) uses the watershed as a unit of analysis to document the values of fresh water, consequences of watershed degradation and opportunities for sustainable management of water resources. Challenging watershed issues, occurring worldwide, include climate change, infrastructure development, resource extraction, pollution and habitat degradation. However, there are opportunities for positive solutions, which include environmental restoration, increasing efficiencies in water use, community-based education and transboundary agreements. To illustrate current threats to freshwater systems and offer possibilities of sound management policies and solutions, NWNL has chosen six case study watersheds. They are North America’s Columbia, Mississippi and Raritan River Basins and northeastern Africa’s Nile, Omo and Mara River Basins.

The NWNL approach begins with expeditions along a river’s entire course, or to a specific reach, tributary or drainage area that exemplifies one of that watershed’s particularly significant characteristics. On expedition NWNL teams utilize photography, videography and interviews with local stakeholders to record historical, current and potential watershed management challenges and solutions. Before, during and after these expeditions NWNL research teams support the development of each case-study watershed’s itineraries, focus and eventual products. NWNL’s documentation is presented in articles, books and curricula and shared with inter- and intra-watershed partnerships.

NWNL’s teams include photographers, scientists, educators and interns. Their backgrounds cover natural resource management, conservation biology, restoration ecology, forest ecology, conservation photography, videography and curriculum development. NWNL has carried expedition flags from The Explorers Club and WINGS WorldQuest. The Scott Pearlman Field Award and generous private donations have supported the project’s expeditions. NWNL’s fiscal sponsor is WINGS WorldQuest, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.