This book is intended for those with an academic, scientific andpractical interest in river conservation and management. Itprovides an overview of how changes in legislation, policies,institutional responsibilities, science, technology, practicaltechniques and public perception have influenced how rivers havebeen managed over the past 20 years and the challenges that lieahead during the next 20 years.The book is based on the international conference RiverConservation and Management:20 Years On held at York.Thirty-one chapters, with contributions from North and SouthAmerica, Europe, Asia and Australasia provide a wide-rangingperspective on this complex but profoundly important subject.Following an introduction that chronicles the most importantcontextual changes, the book is organized into four broadtopics:* Catchment management, ecosystem integrity and the threats toriver ecosystems - this covers progress onunderstanding and addressing the pressures affecting rivers, manyof which will be amplified by climate change and increasing humandemands for water;* Methods and approaches - illustrating some recenttechniques that have been developed to assess condition andconservation status across different types of river;* Recovery and rehabilitation - providing an insightinto the principles, practice, public involvement and institutionalnetworks that support and make improvements to modified riverreaches;* Integrating nature conservation into wider river management-demonstrating the importance of integrated planning,involvement of local communities and the use of adaptive managementin achieving multiple environmental and economic benefits alongrivers used for different purposes.The final chapter discusses the challenges faced in dealing withan uncertain future.More than 1200 different references and numerous web-sitecitations provide the reader with an invaluable source of knowledgeon the subject area.