The current state-of-play – protected areas Existing protected areas are not sufficiently comprehensive or adequate to achieve conservation targets. The degraded state of many rivers poses a practical barrier to effective implementation of conservation targets through the designation of protected areas. Restoration of some currently degraded ecosystems will be required to complement existing reserves. –These “bits in between” are rarely considered in conservation planning

Aquatic ecosystem restoration. Most project small-scale, and rarely integrated with conservation programs to achieve specific biodiversity targets. –Artificial distinction between conservation & restoration Conservation biology and reserve selection principles a useful means of prioritising restoration activities, but rarely applied in aquatic ecosystems.

Principles for ecosystem restoration To be effective restoration must target the ecosystem level - the river and its surrounding catchment, and be based around well defined objectives. Lateral and longitudinal connectivity must be considered, both in restoring key processes and protecting restored areas from external threats. –hydrologic alteration a major threat in most rivers Prioritisation should also consider metapopulation dynamics, redundancy, otogenetic habitat needs

Summary Restoration of degraded rivers provides a means of integrating protected area management and “the bits in between” to achieve biodiversity targets and maintain ecosystem structure & function Protected areas, their management, and associated objectives frequently treated separately from restoration programs –Disciplinary divides –Implicit in many government portfolios/legislation –Water/private/public land divisions – especially protected public lands Conservation biology has already developed the necessary tools to identify priority sites for ecosystem restoration