Watershed management and sustainable development: Lessons learned and future directions

A fundamental belief underlying the direction and content of this paper is that the paradigms of land and water management evolving into the 21st century increasingly favor a watershed focused approach. Underlying that approach is an appreciation of the processes of sustainable development and resource use. The increasing recognition that sustainable development and sustainable ecosystem management are processes rather than end states, is coupled with an increasing awareness that these processes are fraught with uncertainty, and that cumulative effects matter. This recognition opens a number of new doors in terms of participatory adaptive management. Practical strategies for dealing with uncertainty and avoiding unsustainable development include more coordinated policies and programs that link distinct political entities; greater flexibility in planning and management; complementing technical appraisals with socioeconomic assessments; using interdisciplinary and participatory planning approaches at all levels; and precautionary monitoring with early warning signs.