The partnership has focused on restoration, education and protection activities in freshwater basins spanning Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Priority watersheds have included the Yangtze, Mekong, Danube, and Amur-Heilong rivers; Rio Grande/Rio Bravo; Lake Niassa; the Mesoamerican Reef catchments; and the rivers and streams of the southeastern United States. Protecting river basins and watersheds that feed into oceans and the quality of the water resources directly impacts the marine environments through reduced pollution, sediment flows, and increased biodiversity.

By working with government, international financial institutions, academia, industry and civil society, this partnership has created a tailored process to address natural resource challenges.

While the work varies by watershed and geography, this partnership has restored river flows; reconstructed wetlands; successfully reintroduced plant and marine species to ecosystems; increased the population of endangered or at-risk wildlife; secured government protections for watersheds, forests and wildlife; worked with farmers to enhance farming practices and reduce polluting run-off into streams; and set a standard for cross-sector collaborations to create a more water-secure future for our planet.

In 2018, as a result of this partnership, more than 2.2 million hectares are now protected, or under better management, across three priority sub-watersheds feeding the Mesoamerican Reef, securing approximately 22 billion liters of water for people and nature.