The mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to preserve plants, animals, andnatural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protectingthe lands and waters they need to survive. TNC is an international conservationorganization founded in 1951. This presentation outlines the TNC's FreshwaterInitiative; a five year effort to build capacity and develop transferablestrategies for aquatic ecosystem conservation and develop threat abatementstrategies. Priority sites within the southeastern coastal plain ecoregions areidentified. Conservation strategies, including land acquisition, conservationeasements, riparian buffers, implementation of best management practices, andstream restoration, are outlined and examples of each are provided. Includes figures.