Stewardship and management of freshwater ecosystems: From Leopold's land ethic to a freshwater ethic

Abstract

In 1949, Aldo Leopold formalized the concept of the ‘land ethic’, in what emerged as a foundational and transformational way of thinking about natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and stewardship in terrestrial systems. Yet, the land ethic has inherent linkages to aquatic ecosystems; Leopold himself conducted research on rivers and lakes, and freshwater ecosystems figured widely in his writing. We reflect on the land ethic and other aspects of Leopold's scholarship to identify key messages that provide insight into the stewardship and management of freshwater ecosystems around the globe. We also frame what we call the ‘freshwater ethic’ around Leopold's legacy. Although Leopold could not have envisaged the stressors affecting modern aquatic ecosystems, his core principles remain salient. These apply not only to ecosystem protection, but also to the ethics of modern conservation economics, sustainability, and the protection of natural capital, in which lakes, rivers, and wetlands now figure prominently. We identify key ‘Aldo‐inspired’ recommendations for protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems in the Anthropocene that emanate directly from his writings (e.g. adopt an ecosystem approach, identify win–win–win scenarios, recognize the irreplaceability of wild waters, and strive for freshwater optimism). In an epoch where links between people and nature are becoming more explicit in environmental management, policy, and governance, we suggest that Aldo Leopold's work illustrates how inspirational, seminal thinkers have offered leadership in this domain. We contend that today there is still much that can be learned from Leopold, especially by the next generation of environmental practitioners, to ensure the effective stewardship of our aquatic ecosystems. We submit that the adoption of a freshwater ethic in parallel with Leopold's land ethic will enhance the stewardship of the world's increasingly threatened fresh waters by raising the profile of the plight of fresh waters and identifying enduring actions that, if embraced, will help conserve and restore biodiversity.

TheRACEfor freshwater biodiversity: Essential actions to create the social context for meaningful conservation

“…Co‐production (i.e., scientist–stakeholder collaborations) is increasingly recognized as an effective way to ensure that knowledge generated is relevant and legitimate (Cooke, Nguyen, et al, 2021; Miller & Wyborn, 2020; Wyborn et al, 2019; Young et al, 2014). Although it is not without challenges (Lemos et al, 2018; Norström et al, 2020), progress in connecting science to action requires that freshwater scientists and conservation practitioners embrace the joint framing of research and policy to increase the likelihood that it will gain traction with decision makers and stakeholders when completed (Beier et al, 2017; Cooke, Lynch, et al, 2021; Nel et al, 2016; Zarei et al, 2020). This also requires better scientific monitoring of the impacts (or lack thereof) of conservation efforts in order to build the evidence base.…”

Freshwater conservation: Lost in limnology?

“…This led to the creation of the Alliance for Freshwater Life, described as an 'expert network [that] aims to provide the critical mass required for the effective representation of freshwater biodiversity at policy meetings, to develop solutions balancing the needs of development and conservation, and to better convey the important role freshwater ecosystems play in human wellbeing' (https://allianceforfreshwaterlife.org/). Other authors have made recommendations for protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems built on the work of Aldo Leopold and his concept of the 'land ethic' (Cooke et al, 2021) The conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems are lagging behind when compared with their marine (and terrestrial) counterparts. An imbalance in the conservation efforts between marine and freshwater populations has been increasingly observed (Kalinkat et al, 2017;Nyboer et al, 2021).…”

Reviving the unique potential of recreational fishers as environmental stewards of aquatic ecosystems

“…For both reasons, that is ecological impacts and animal suffering, it has been suggested by some that society should ‘sacrifice the interests of anglers for the interests of nature’ (De Leeuw, 2012). Conversely, others think that recreational fishing might be justified if it instils environmental values (Landon et al, 2018; Lovering, 2006) concordant with the land ethic of Aldo Leopold (or ‘freshwater ethic’, Cooke et al, 2021). Many angling groups claim that they organize and implement participatory conservation through an inherent stewardship (Tufts et al, 2015) that combines (self‐interested) environmental and civic virtue (Arlinghaus et al, 2012; Granek et al, 2008; List, 2013).…”