IUCN WCPA Technical Report Series

Inland waters – such as rivers, lakes and other wetlands – are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. They are also the most threatened; almost one in three species is at risk of extinction and monitored populations of freshwater species have declined by 85% since 1970. The loss of these ecosystems has cascading effects on human livelihoods, cultures and our overall well-being.

Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are sites outside protected areas that deliver effective and long-term in situ conservation of biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation may be the primary objective of the site, a secondary objective of a site that is managed for other purposes, or it may be an unintended consequence of the way the site is managed.

The development of linear transport infrastructure (LTI) can have a variety of direct and indirect impacts on protected and conserved areas (PCAs) and other intact areas with high biodiversity and ecological connectivity values. Poorly planned and constructed roads, railways and canals can sever habitats, disrupt ecosystems and threaten species.