“My flow is my heartbeat”
Hear the River Systems speak…
image credit: https://www.odysseytraveller.com/
“I need an uninterrupted flow for oxygen and biodiversity so that I may not just survive, but thrive… and so you will too.”
The importance of Rivers
- Part of global water system distributing fresh water
- Nourishes entire local ecosystems (water and land)
- Feed birds that pollinate plants and control insects
- Provide habitat for insects, frogs, reptiles, mammals, and birds
- River pulses trigger fish breeding and movement
- Mitigate floods and droughts and recharge groundwater supplies
- Essential for human societies, providing drinking water, transportation, recreation, connection with nature, and industry
- First Nations people perceive water and land as inseparable—healthy rivers are essential to their spiritual, cultural and physical wellbeing and resilience.
The threats to Rivers
- Over-exploitation of water
- Fragmentation and destruction of important habitats
- Introduced species
- Dams, culverts and other structures affect the flow and the health
- Litter and debris
- Nutrient, sediment, chemical, and sewage pollution
