Sustainable Management of Headwater Resources

Headwaters are the source of freshwater resources, the margins of drainage basins, and the first and zero order basins that surround every catchment. The challenge is to define appropriate, self-sustainable, management strategies and structures for these lands which meet the needs of the headwater habitat, including its human inhabitants, and the needs of habitats downstream. The contributors to this book strive to anticipate emerging and future problems; to discover integrated solutions to the problems already caused by land degradation, natural hazards and development processes; and to help develop better land management, environmental protection and landscape regeneration practices and policies. They also address the many challenges that remain: the concern for effective sharing of local experience in science and technology; community participation; the role of education; effectiveness and limits of current technology; the selection of appropriate policies and goals; modes of effective management; and the sustainability of current activities.Sustainable Management of Headwater Resources provides an understanding of current and prior situations and provides scientific analyses of local and regional headwater issues in India and Africa. The authors analyse the current situation through field experiments that provide reliable information on the status of headwater resources in these regions.This book originates from the conference on Sustainable Management of Headwater Resources at the 5th International Conference on Headwaters in Nairobi, Kenya.