This project is a continuation of the partnership between The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences to develop a standardized methodology for designing and implementing report cards that assess the health some of the world’s most prominent freshwater basins. UMCES and the WWF are currently collaborating with Zambian stakeholders to create a report card for the Lower Kafue River Basin.

UMCES and WWF have partnered to facilitate the development of Report Cards in many iconic and threatened river basins across the world. UMCES, WWF, and the Tuul River Basin Authority are collaborating on the development of a river basin report card in the heart of Mongolia. UMCES is participating in a series of workshops as trainers, assisting WWF-Mongolia in the development of the report card, including troubleshooting and providing guidance as the Report Card progresses.

The primary objective of this project is to collate data, review indicators, and synthesize both to effectively report the health of the Orinoco River in Colombia, South America in a report card. The project will focus on three Columbian tributaries of the Orinoco River – the Meta, Bita and Guaviare Rivers.

WWF and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences seek to empower stakeholders around the world to develop and effectively use credible, locally owned report cards in their basins, fostering sustainable water management across basins around the world.

Worldwide, marine protected areas (MPAs) are often declared by governments to fulfill national or international commitments. However, after being legally declared, MPAs remain in a status referred to as “paper parks”, without any management authority or without any conservation measures in place.