Lakes and wetlands are found among the most important and most threatened ecosystems in the world. As of the beginning of the 20th Century, two thirds of these wetlands and lakes have been disappearing or have been seriously damaged by drainages and their conversion into cultivation lands; the use of underground waters; contamination and spill of waste. Many of them are suffering the increase of their nutrients due to the constant spilling of sewage and agricultural fertilizers.

The network of living lakes --known as the Living Lakes (www. livinglakes.org) , is a network of NGO´s, established to protect lakes and wetlands and to strengthen the sustainable management and development of their surroundings and basins.
At present, in the continents of America, Asia, Europe and Africa there are 55 organizations members of this Network. They work for the conservation of a variety of 45 lakes and wetlands such as the Lake Baikal in Russia that is the largest reservoir of fresh water in the world; the old Lake Biwa in Japan; Lake Santa Lucía in South Africa; Lake Constanza in Europe; and the Dead Sea in the Middle East, 8.6 times saltier than the sea.

The Network of Living Lakes has its sub networks, which are: The Latin American and the Caribbean Network with partners in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Bolivia, Brazil and Argentine.

The Latin American and The Caribbean Network is working in the:

• Exchange of experiences and good practices, contributing to the design and implementation of effective initiatives focused on the protection of lakes and wetlands as well as on the sustainable development of their surroundings and basins.
  
• Implementation of pilot initiatives in the Lakes Titicaca (Bolivia), Chapala (Mexico) and Fúneque (Colombia).