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集水地的保護工作可以由民眾、民間團體，或一國、一區，或由各國政府發起。民眾可以在環保團體或其他政府單位的幫助下組織成一個團體。科羅拉多大學在對美國眾多流域團體進行研究後，發現某些成功指標的決定性共通點。雖然這些團體在性質上各異其趣，但科羅拉多大學的研究者發現，幾乎所有的團體都需具備下列要素，才能維持有效和持久的運作：協調者或組織者、廣泛的群眾參與，以及外界的技術支援。在這份名為「集水地資源手冊」的研究報告中，亦以成功的保護案例為借鏡，提供了以下的教訓：
「第一，如何教育集水地保護工作參與者，乃至教育涉及集水地問題的一般民眾，應是優先推動的工作。一套有效的教育計畫將有助於建立人們對保護工作的支持，避免對保護工作產生誤解。第二，避免無建設性的會議和計畫過程，應?團體和團體的各項活動建立具體的目標。第三，要想長久解決問題，需找出問題的根本原因，而不只是表面徵兆。
「根據有經驗的參與者表示，花在教育集水地團體成員、教育集水地問題所牽涉到的一般大眾，以及達成團體目標所花的時間，都是值得投資的。不僅如此，集水地團體所設定的具體目標，為建設性的工作提供了方向，並奠定基礎。沒有期限及結構不當的冗長計畫過程會變得毫無意義，讓人覺得氣餒並喪失興趣。最後，多位團體協調者的建議是，避免用「暗中速戰速決」的手法解決集水地問題。很多問題都是從沉痾多年的集水地惡化演變至今，故要找出並實行有效的解決方法，需要一段相當長的時間。
「因此，集水地團體的參與者建議在初期將工作重心放在教育集水區中有興趣的團體上，然後制定明確的目標，最後努力解決根本原因，而非治標。雖然每個集水地團體面臨著各自不同的挑戰，這些都是放諸所有團體皆準的基本法則。」
未來的真正希望：下一代
一個更長久、更公平的水源未來的真正希望，維繫在孩子們身上。任何幫助孩子們瞭解集水流域、水資源管理以及影響水資源成因的努力終將有所回報，因為未來的社會大眾會知道健康集水流域的價值所在。專門設計讓學齡兒童關注這些議題的課程活動有很多，其中一個不錯的例子是由南非水務部所舉辦的「用水體檢：你的學校如何做到智慧用水」。其課程大綱主要在於宣導節約用水的價值觀，以及其他的水源議題。整套課程包括課堂活動、各種課程串連及漫畫教學，其目標對象為四到八年級的學生。另一國際性的活動是一年一度的「河流的話」藝文比賽，讓孩子們透過藝術探索他們自己的集水流域，以及這些流域對人類生活的重要性。「河流的話」活動目前正在博茨瓦納和納米比亞的學校裡（任何學校均可參加）持續延燒。此外還有更多無以計數的環保團體，在向學齡兒童宣導水源和河流問題。
版權歸屬Earth Day Network，環境信託基金會（金霞、陶俊 譯， 吳國玢、張正慈 審校）
中英對照全文：http://news.ngo.org.tw/issue/water/2001/issue-water-irn01052801.htm |
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Efforts to protect a catchment can be initiated by citizens and private groups, or by local, district or national governments. Citizens may form a group with help from environmental agencies or other government bodies. The University of Colorado (UC) has studied dozens of US watershed groups, and discovered some crucial similarities that were indicators of success. While such groups vary widely in scope, the UC researchers found that nearly all groups need these elements in order to be effective and sustainable: a coordinator or organizer; a broad range of participation, and outside technical assistance. The UC report, The Watershed Source Book, also offered these lessons from successful watershed efforts:
"First, education of participants in the watershed effort and the general public on watershed issues should be an early thrust of the effort. An effective education program will help build support for the watershed effort and avoid misunderstandings about the effort. Second, to avoid unproductive meetings and planning processes, concrete goals should be established for the group and for each group activity Third, meaningful problem solving requires identification of the root causes of the problems, not merely symptoms.
"According to experienced participants, time spent educating members of a watershed group and the public in general on watershed issues and the purposes of the group is time well invested. Additionally, concrete goals, set by the watershed group, provide direction and lay the foundation for a productive effort. Long planning processes with no deadlines and inadequate structure can seem pointless, and people become discouraged and lose interest. Finally several group coordinators recommend avoiding 'quick and dirty' solutions to watershed problems. Many problems have evolved from years of watershed degradation, and finding and applying effective solutions may take a significant period of time.
"Thus, watershed group participants recommend focusing initially on educating interested parties in the watershed, then setting concrete goals and ultimately working to resolve the root causes rather than the symptoms. While each watershed group faces unique challenges, these lessons are basic enough to apply to all groups."
The Real Hope for the Future: The Next Generation
Children hold the real hope for a more sustainable, equitable water future. Any efforts that help children learn about catchments, water management and issues affecting water resources will pay off in a future whose citizens know the value of a healthy catchment. There are a number of programmes for school children that focus on these issues. One good programme is South Africa's "Water Audit: How your school can be water wise" by the Department of Water Affairs (see Resources). This curriculum guide teaches the value of water conservation and other water issues. It includes classroom activities, curriculum links and comics. The intended audience is students in Std. 4-8. Another international programme is the annual River of Words poetry and art contest, which helps children explore their own catchments and their importance to our lives through the arts. A River of Words programme is being explored for schools in Botswana and Namibia (any school can join). Finally, there are any number of environmental groups making presentations to school children about water and river issues (see sidebar, above, for one example in the Okavango Delta).
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