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A Practitioner's Guide to Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation was developed by the Nature Conservancy to help address the challenges of freshwater biodiversity conservation. The guide draws on the experience and knowledge gained by the Nature Conservancy’s [TNC] Freshwater Initiative, launched in 1998 to build organizational capacity in freshwater biodiversity conservation.

The guide outlines the global challenge of freshwater biodiversity conservation; examines how ecosystems are structured and how they support biodiversity; and offers approaches for identifying the most important biodiversity areas to protect across large geographic regions as well as at specific locations. It includes a detailed review of the four major causes of freshwater biodiversity decline and a broad range of promising strategies to lessen their threats and conserve biodiversity.

"No other publication exists with as comprehensive a review of the causes of freshwater biodiversity decline and strategies for slowing or halting this trend," said Nicole Silk, partnership development director of the Sustainable Waters Program at TNC. She said that the guide was written to “help practitioners identify conservation actions that will make the greatest contribution toward stemming freshwater biodiversity decline.”

Since 1999, the Mott Foundation has provided $850,000 to the Freshwater Initiative to support its efforts to elevate the importance of freshwater conservation.

"Mott has been an enthusiastic supporter of TNC's efforts to elevate the importance of freshwater conservation," said Sam Passmore, a program officer in the Environment program at Mott. "This guide extends the impact of the Freshwater Initiative even further."

The mission of the Nature Conservancy is to preserve natural communities that represent the diversity of life by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.