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October 6, 1999
Living Lakes partners featured at Expo 2000 Hanover, Germany, June 2000
Living Lakes Conference
Press Release Press Contact: Frances Spivy-Weber, Executive Director
Mono Lake Committee
(310-316-0041)
and www.livinglakes.org
For Immediate Release
Lee Vining, California--More than one hundred people participated in the Living Lakes' four-day World Lakes Conference, October 1-4, 1999, on the shores of Mono Lake. Fifty people representing environmental organizations, business, and governmental agencies from fifteen countries and four continents were at the meeting. Other participants were from California and Nevada.
The Living Lakes network, a global partnership of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in the protection of lakes, organized the conference with the theme, "Restoring Streams and Lakes -- Revitalizing Communities." The purposes of the conference were to share information, celebrate World Lake Day on October 1, present Best Conservation Practice Awards, plan for the Living Lakes presence at the World Exhibition, Expo 2000 Hanover, June 1 - October 31, 2000, and add new lakes to the Living Lakes network.
According to Frances Spivy-Weber, Executive Director of the Mono Lake Committee, "The Living Lakes partners found Mono Lake an inspiring example. The restoration of the lake and its streams and wetlands is being achieved while meeting the water needs of the people in Los Angeles through conservation and water recycling."
Keynote speakers for the conference were Patrick Wright, Deputy Secretary for Policy Development, The Resources Agency, State of California, and Credo Mutwa, author and spiritual
leader of the Zulu in South Africa. Mr. Wright stressed the importance of having good science as the basis for making policy choices in resource management. He also pointed out that the actions associated with protecting Mono Lake--the Public Trust Doctrine and conservation/water recycling programs to offset water left in the environment--were having a profound impact on resource decisions throughout the state. Mr. Mutwa challenged the conference participants, "Every lake that you will bring back to life is a whole world saved."
Other dignitaries participating in the discussions included Art Baggett, California State Water Resources Control Board; Guido Nahmias, UNILEVER, Italy, the Global Parner of Living Lakes; Dr. Martin Roth, Expo 2000 Hanover, Germany; Andreas Schweikert, DaimlerChrysler, Germany; Fanyana Shiburi, DaimlerChrysler, South Africa and Lutz Laemmerhold, Lufthansa AG, International sponsors of Living Lakes.
October 1, the second World Lake Day, proclaimed by the Los Angeles City Council, was a highlight of the first day of the Third World Lakes Conference (WLC). The proclamation's key message reads:
"Therefore be it resolved that the City Council of Los Angeles declares October 1st 1999 as second World Lake Day, and encourages people throughout the state to promote future water management programs that provide for today while protecting lakes, streams and wetlands for future generations and the public trust."
The goal of the second World Lake Day was to raise global awareness of the importance of lakes for people and nature. The first World Lake Day was proclaimed one year ago by Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa.
Best Conservation Practice Awards were presented to Mr. Credo Mutwa; Jim Fowler, television personality; four leaders who were critical to the protection of Mono Lake--Marc Del Piero, former Water Resources Control Board, Phil Isenberg, attorney and author of AB444 which funded conservation in Los Angeles to replace water left at Mono Lake, Andrea Lawrence, former Mono County Board of Supervisors, and Rick Lehman, attorney and author of legislation to create the Forest Service Scenic Area at Mono Lake--and Lou Thompson, founder of a group seeking protection of Walker Lake in Nevada,
The World Exposition, Expo 2000, October 1-4, 2000, in Hanover, Germany, will feature Living Lakes in its Thematic area and in the House of Worldwide Projects, two of the major exhibit areas of the Exposition. Dr. Martin Roth, who is in charge of preparing these two exhibit areas, announced that the Worldwide Projects will also be featured at Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida.
Living Lakes added the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads in the United Kingdom to the seven partner lakes--Lake Constance in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; Mono Lake in California, USA; St. Lucia Wetlands in South Africa; Lake Biwa in Japan; Nestos Lakes in Greece; La Nava Lagoon in Spain; and Lake Baikal in Russia. Five candidate lakes were accepted: Lake Tengiz, Kazakhstan; Dead Sea Basin, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine; Militsch Ponds, Poland; Mar Chiquita, Argentina; and the Pantanal Wetlands in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
The Conference closed October 4, 1999, to reconvene in June 2000 at the Expo 2000 Hannover and in November 2000 near Lake Biwa, Japan.
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