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PREFACE <br />The papers in this volume address river and stream corridor management, including <br />the adjacent riverine and estuarine wetlands, from a natural systems protection and <br />restoration perspective. Most of the papers were presented at the International <br />Symposium: Wetlands and River Corridor Management which was conducted in <br />Charleston, South Carolina, in July 1989. Over 350 individuals from 23 countries attended <br />this symposium. Some of the papers were presented at a smaller northeastern U.S. <br />symposium concerning Wetlands and River Corridor Management which was held at Lake <br />George, New York, in June 1987. Approximately 300 individuals attended this symposium. <br />These symposia were unique in bringing together three groups who have not worked <br />together extensively to date -- river managers, floodplain managers, and wetland <br />managers. The three groups have common interests in maximizing the environmental, <br />economic, and social benefits of rivers and their adjacent lands, but have rarely <br />coordinated their efforts. <br />The flow and quality of waters in rivers and streams throughout the world continue to <br />be dramatically altered by dikes, dams, dredging, channelization, water extractions, and <br />the intentional and unintentional discharge of sediment, nutrients, toxic metals and other <br />pollutants from adjacent lands. These alterations not only diminish or destroy the value of <br />rivers and streams but those of adjacent riverine and estuarine wetlands. These wetlands <br />are among the most productive ecosystems in the world and are essential to riverine and <br />estuarine fisheries and food chain support for a broad range of organisms. They improve <br />water quality in rivers, stabilize banks and reduce meander, and store and convey flood <br />waters. <br />Alterations to rivers and streams and, consequently, to adjacent wetlands are an <br />international problem because many rivers and streams flow from one nation into another. <br />Many of these wetlands are also of international significance because of their fisheries <br />value, as flyways, flood storage areas, natural pollution filters, habitat for rare and <br />endangered species, and as areas of special biodiversity. <br />The papers in this symposium help document the interrelationships between river <br />corridor management and wetland management. They also suggest a broad range of <br />approaches for maximizing multiple use benefits while reducing conflicts. We hope that <br />you will find them useful.