Living Lakes - Strategies to protect the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems

Protection and restoration of lakes, wetlands, and associated landscapes is crucial to halt biodiversity loss and combat climate change. Eleven partners from ten countries in the Living Lakes Network will focus on capacity development for key actors involved in the use and management of the lakes. Local authorities, regional administrations and civil society will improve knowledge to reduce negative impacts of agriculture, fisheries and tourism and to manage lakes better. The partners will develop innovative techniques e.g. in wastewater treatment, renaturation of lake landscapes, management of invasive species, and biodiversity-friendly agriculture as "Frontrunner Initiatives". Experiences in the implementation of these projects are disseminated at regional, national and global level in order to achieve improved implementation of lake protection laws and management plans, the strengthening of non-governmental organisations and their participation in stakeholder consultations.

Project data

Countries: Cambodia, Colombia, India, Malawi, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, South Africa, Sri Lanka
IKI funding: 8,086,799.00 €
Included preparation phase: 45,270.00 €
Duration: 08/2022 till 08/2027
Status: open
Implementing organisation: Global Nature Fund (GNF)
Political Partner: Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - Philippines

Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) - South Africa

Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation, MIDAGRI - Peru

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries - Cambodia

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) - India

Ministry of Environment (MINAM) - Peru

Ministry of Environment (MoE) - Cambodia

Ministry of Environment - Sri Lanka

Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MinAmbiente) - Colombia

Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Environment - Malawi

Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA)

State Government of Jalisco - Mexico
Implementing Partner: Action for Environmental Sustainability (AfES)

Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS)

Autoridad Binacional del Lago Titicaca (ALT)

EMACE Foundation of Sri Lanka

Fisheries Action Coalition Team (FACT)

Fundación Global Nature (FGN)

Fundación Humedales (FH)

Institute Corazon de la Tierra (ICT)

Lake Constance Foundation (LCF)

Nagenahiru Foundation (NF)

Nature Environment & Wildlife Society (NEWS)

Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPW)
Online: https://livinglakes.org/

https://www.globalnature.org/en/living-lakes-biodiversity-and-climate-project

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State of implementation/results

Over 6,600 smallholder farmers and fishermen have taken part in workshops and training programmes on sustainable agricultural production and fishing.
More than 5,500 people responsible for lake management at governmental, administrative and NGO level have participated in training programmes.
As a result of the project intervention, 14 local, regional or national policies include new measures for the protection and sustainable management of wetland and lake landscapes.
Initial results of the 11 pioneer initiatives and 3 replication projects in the partner countries show innovative nature-based solutions to better manage water resources, reduce the serious impacts of human activities on lakes and wetland landscapes and move towards integrated lake and wetland management.
44 young lake managers have completed a traineeship and some have been taken on by the implementing partners as part of a project team or have been given other career opportunities.
The Global Nature Fund has launched the Living Lakes Academy (LLA) together with the Trier University of Applied Sciences. In the meantime, 35 young lake managers have fulfilled the criteria and received a certificate.
800 people have participated in the LLA webinars so far and improved their knowledge on various aspects of lake and wetland management, limnology, international co-operation, NGO management and practical measures.
Social media: A LinkedIn account (@livinglakesnetzwerk) is new. The international network of wetland managers is specifically addressed via LinkedIn. Approx. 230,000 people were reached directly through the project media and approx. 410,000 people through the implementation partners' own media.
The GNF has concluded a cooperation agreement with the international network ‘Youth Engaged in Wetlands’. The project will also provide infrastructural support to the Ramsar Youth Working Group by hosting the website.
Through an intensive exchange with relevant wetland stakeholders on an international level, new alliances and co-operations with a focus on youth empowerment and community-based restoration are being created.

Latest Update:
06/2025