Freshwater ecosystems are essential for both wildlife and people. In Mesoamerica, rivers, lakes, wetlands, and other freshwater habitats support extraordinary biodiversity while also providing drinking water, fisheries, flood control, and other ecosystem services that sustain human well-being.
Yet despite their importance, freshwater ecosystems remain underrepresented in conservation efforts and continue to face growing pressure from human activities. They are disappearing at rates far higher than terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while pollution, climate change, weak governance, among other threats all continue to threaten the species and habitats they support. As noted in the new report, freshwater ecosystems are home to 11% of all animal species and 5% of all known plant species worldwide.
Against this backdrop, the First Mesoamerican Symposium on Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, held in June 2025 at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, created an important opportunity to bring freshwater biodiversity higher onto the regional conservation agenda. As part of that Symposium, CPSG Mesoamerica facilitated a two-day planning workshop for the newly formed Mesoamerican Alliance for the Conservation of Freshwater Biodiversity.
A Regional Planning Process
The workshop took place 25-26 June 2025 in Guatemala City, bringing together 40 participants from 19 institutions involved in the study and conservation of freshwater habitats and species across Mesoamerica. The event was organized by Shedd Aquarium’s Center for Species Survival: Freshwater, the IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee, the Center for Environmental Studies and Biodiversity (CEAB), and the School of Biology at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. The workshop was co-facilitated by Yolanda Matamoros and Jorge Rodríguez from IUCN SSC CPSG Mesoamerica.
Before the workshop, organizers circulated a series of questions based on the CPSG processes to help participants identify the major threats likely to affect freshwater species over the next 25 years. During the workshop, participants self-selected into six thematic working groups focused on:
- Anthropogenic activities
- Climate change
- Introduction of exotic species
- Research
- Education and outreach
- Government policy and law enforcement
Through these discussions, participants identified key regional challenges and began shaping a coordinated response.
A Shared Vision for the Future
One of the central outcomes of the workshop was the development of a shared vision for the Alliance. Participants agreed on the following:
We will be a multisectoral and inclusive alliance, committed to the conservation and comprehensive management of biodiversity and freshwater ecosystems in Mesoamerica. We will act guided by scientific knowledge and traditional wisdom, fostering community participation. We aspire to strengthen the well-being, resilience, and effective governance of freshwater ecosystems and their biodiversity.
This vision reflects the broad and inclusive nature of the workshop, which sought not only to identify problems, but also to lay the foundations for coordinated, long-term collaboration across the region.
From Workshop to Report
Because the workshop took place within the timeframe of the Symposium, participants were not able to complete all proposed actions on site. To continue the process, a series of virtual follow-up meetings were held in September 2025, allowing participants to review, refine, and finalize the objectives and actions developed by each working group. Actions that, as they highlight, should not be viewed as isolated initiatives, but rather as cross-cutting and complementary efforts that require ongoing collaboration across the Alliance.
The resulting report is now available on the CPSG library. The document is in Spanish and includes an Executive Summary in English on page 6. It captures the vision, major problems identified, and the objectives and actions proposed across all six thematic areas.
Freshwater biodiversity conservation often receives less visibility than terrestrial or marine conservation, despite the ecological and human importance of these systems. This workshop and report represent an important step toward stronger regional coordination in Mesoamerica, bringing together institutions, disciplines, and countries to begin building a shared agenda for freshwater biodiversity conservation.
