Now more than ever, drought and climate change are fundamentally altering the valuable wetland and irrigated agricultural lands that are imperative to the future of migratory birds, wildlife and fisheries, and people.
The Water 4 approach includes:
- SCIENCE to identify vital working wetlands; Science to Implementation to enhance access to and use of science for strategic conservation, from field implementation to funding and decision making.
- CAPACITY to address conservation bottlenecks and work through existing partnerships to increase the pace and scale of conservation. Adding capacity requires putting the right people with the right skills in the right place.
- COMMUNICATIONS to advance conservation through stories about partnership-driven conservation efforts, outcomes, and the tools that get the job done.
Water 4 is accelerating water and wetlands conservation and developing transferable models across the West.
Water 4 aims to achieve conservation that provides multiple benefits to people and wildlife. A deep understanding of different perspectives, needs, and approaches to habitat delivery is necessary to ensure effective, lasting, and community-based conservation. Science further informs and focuses Water 4 in landscapes that have high value to migratory birds, wetland habitat abundance, partnership synergy, and partner investments.
Resources
News
Celebrating Our Wetlands Work
In 2024, the IWJV's Water 4 program invested heavily in science, capacity, and communications to support wetlands conservation work across the region.
Field Notes: What We Can Learn from Working Dogs
No matter the size of the farm or ranch, the number of cow/calf pairs run each year, or the location of the land, working dogs show up with a good attitude every time.
New video! Sustaining Wetlands & Watersheds with Flood-Irrigated Grass Hay
This illustrated video breaks down recent science that shows how flood-irrigated grass hay practices in the Intermountain West provide vital wetland habitat for migratory birds, as well as benefits for fisheries and other wildlife, people, and overall watershed resiliency.
iwjv@iwjv.org
Instagram
Facebook