Forging a new Latin American Community of Practice for Sustainable Lake Restoration

Phosphorus is a critical nutrient, essential for fertiliser production and global food security. However, poor management across the anthropogenic phosphorus cycle leads to losses associated with pollution of water bodies, driving eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and methane emissions. Addressing these interconnected issues requires a circular approach across the phosphorus cycle and an international united front in order to manage and protect our shared global freshwater commons.

In April 2026, the uPcycle team came together in person in Chile, with representation from UNEP (GEF), the Chilean Ministry of the Environment (MMA), Fundación Chile (FCh), the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), Wageningen University & Research (WUR), IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (IHE Delft), the University of Edinburgh (UoE), and representatives of seven Latin American countries.

In this Experience Note, we summarise the activities undertaken as part of this meeting, explore the key challenges and phosphorus management, learning points across nations, and detail the next steps required to solidify this new network of lake restoration champions and ensure work to make our lakes cleaner, phosphorus systems more circular, and knowledge sharing more seamless into the future.

Cover Photo: by Susan Flynn on Unsplash

To support lake ecosystems recovery through phosphorus emissions reductions from land to water to improve the protection and restoration of freshwater and coastal ecosystems, bringing together the global lake management and sustainable phosphorus management communities including developing and testing a sustainable phosphorus management framework in Chile to inform international application.

Issue

Phosphorus mismanagement poses significant ecological, economic, and security risks on a global scale. Phosphate rock is a finite resource with geographically uneven resource access (for example, 70% of reserves are concentrated in Morocco and Western Sahara – USDG Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024). Consequently, fertiliser price spikes place food systems at risk, and phosphorus imports can become a national security risk. The breakdown of algal biomass fuelled by freshwater and coastal eutrophication (as a result of phosphorus emissions via surface runoff, groundwater through-flow, and river runoff) emits methane, exacerbating the global greenhouse effect. Freshwater degradation and associated biodiversity declines have been observed globally due to excess phosphorus run-off, and management strategies are currently hampered by a lack of international policy dialogue, fragmented data availability, and a lack of knowledge exchange by countries sharing freshwater and coastal resources.

Through the uPcycle project (Sustainable Phosphorus in lakes catchments), we address the social, environmental, and economic impacts of phosphorus pollution by focusing on lakes as critical points of ecosystem degradation. We are promoting circular economy solutions to reduce nutrient losses, food waste, and wastewater discharges, while enhancing resilience in Livestock and agriculture, aquaculture, and drinking water systems. We aim to integrate sustainable phosphorus management across local, national, and international policies, contributing to SDG 6.3.2 (proportion of water bodies with good ambient water quality), and transboundary ecosystem protection. Through this work, we are empowering communities, supporting inclusive innovation, and promoting collaboration and sustainable development across sectors which utilise phosphorus as a resource. 

Addressing the Issue

On Monday 13th April, the wider uPcycle team (from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the University of Edinbrugh, the Chilean Ministerio del Medio Ambiente [MMA], Fundación Chile, Wageningen University & Research, and IHE Delft Institute for Water Education) met at the MMA offices in Santiago. Here, Bryan Spears (UKCEH), Will Brownlie (UKCEH) and Elise Gallois (University of Edinburgh) introduced some of the core global challenges surrounding phosphorus mismanagement, and presented some of the core outputs of the uPcycle project to date, including the Framework of National Phosphorus Action Planning (A Framework for National Phosphorus Action Planning. An uPcycle Guidance Document. Towards Sustainable Phosphorus Cycles in Lake Catchments (uPcycle), available in English and Spanish), in addition to the Global Lakes Explorer tool (Global Lakes Explorer) and associated data analysis about source-to-sea phosphorus and nitrogen emissions from terrestrial river basins to the Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem.

Daniela Paz Salas Andrade (Fundación Chile), Valentina Escanilla Jaramillo (MMA) and Sergio Sairafi Bazan (MMA) presented the National Action Plan and the Decontamination Plan of Lake Villarrica (a lake which has reached concerning limits of phosphorus concentrations) - the very first decontamination plan of a hydrological catchment in Chile. Water quality, nutrient circularity, knowledge exchange across sectors and countries, as well consultations with local Indigenous communites are at the core of this work.

Mike Lurling and Maira Mucci from Wageningen University introduced the uPcycle Community of Practice – an international network of lake restoration practitioners who have been meeting regularly to share experiences and solutions to complex lake pollution issues, and it's a good opportunity to establish collaborative work with Latin America. Finally, Ken Irvine and Konstantina Katsanou (IHE Delft) facilitated an interactive workshop gathering feedback about how well the uPcycle Phosphorus Framework and Monitoring & Assessment Approach aligns with the Chilean reality and the appetite for international benchmarks for policymakers. They also discussed lake monitoring strategies and different levels of capacity, encouraging attendees to discuss the steps they take to monitor lakes and assess lake conditions in their own projects.

Following the meeting in Santiago, the team travelled south to Temuco and participated in a Lake Restoration Symposium hosted by Marco Campos Burgos at Universidad Católica de Temuco and Pablo Etcharren Ulloa (MMA) and chaired by Bryan Spears (UKCEH) and Carla Calderon Rosas (FCh),  The knowledge exchange event on Tuesday 14th April-Wednesday 15th April featured a discussion lead by the Regional Ministerial Secretary of the Environment of La Araucanía, Paula Castillo on the importance of the Araucanía Region in Chile, emphasising the involvement of local indigenous communities as part of the Lake Villarrica Decontamination Plan, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts in locally-tailored lake restoration strategies. Gustavo Medina (Vice Dean Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Catolica de Temuco) welcomed the group on behalf of the university and discussed the importance of research and sustainable nutrient management for both lake and human health outcomes locally.

Ivar Ledezma (UNEP) introduced the project background for uPcycle in regards to UNEP and GEF’s involvement, and emphasised the importance of sharing knowledge and communities of practice. Will Brownlie then introduced the scope of the uPcycle project, highlighting inequalities in phosphate rock resource distribution, the risks of phosphorus mismanagement to national security, and the possibilities to transition to a circular phosphorus system (a process outlined in further detail in the uPcycle Framework document).

The knowledge exchange event also featured presentations by representatives of seven Latin American countries (Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico) on phosphorus management (or cyanobacterial blooms), including country-specific case studies. Each LATAM representative gave information on their country’s phosphorus management, including:

• Institutions and agencies
• Data availability and governance
• Frameworks, regulations and policies
• Tools and technologies
• Information and knowledge access
• Stakeholder engagement and collaborations
• Funding sources and financial tools

In addition to the previous presentations, Daniela Paz Salas Andrade (Fundación Chile) and Pablo Etcharren Ulloa (MMA) presented in further detail the Lake Villarrica Decontamination and upcoming Transition Plan for Chile, describing the current environmental stressors to the lake, the ecosystem services provided by the lake, and the decontamination strategy currently being employed across the catchment, and how this works fits within the larger Chilean policy landscape. Elise Gallois (University of Edinburgh) presented the newly launched Global Lakes Explorer, an open-access web application which harmonises phosphorus and nitrogen data from over 50 sources, covering more than 40,000 lake catchments worldwide. It enables users to visualise and download information on nutrient emissions across sectors such as agriculture, aquaculture, and wastewater, alongside socio-economic and environmental indicators. Mike Lurling and Maira Mucci (Wageningen University) presented the Community of Practice, a network of 297 lake practitioners with different levels of participation who meet regularly online and occasionally at in-person conference meetings and workshops. They then facilitated an interactive workshop to exchange knowledge about lake management practises and governmental policies and gather feedback on a new global baseline assessment survey that will be circulated soon to gather vital data on lake restoration practises and standards worldwide. 

The group participated in fieldtrips to Villarrica Lake (with guided commentary by Pablo Etcharren Ulloa from MMA) and the active Villarrica stratovolcano (Rucapillán in the native Mapuche language). The group then received a presentation at the Universidad de la Frontera in Pucón by the Daphnitas group, a Citizen Science Lab led by Loreto Lagos, encouraging young women to engage in freshwater science and aiming to develop their scientific and social skills. Using the Global Water Watch community-based water initiative, they teach the girls physical, chemical, bacteriological and biological sampling.

Finally, at the Universidad de la Frontera in Pucón, Ken Irvine and Konstatina Katsanou (IHE-Delft) led a workshop on drivers, pressures and responses of unhealthy lake and freshwater ecosystems. This focus discussions on the baseline analysis step in lake restoration and management, the first step outlined in the uPcycle Framework document. Freshwaters are embedded in complex socio-economic systems, characterised by changing population dynamics, consumption-demand cycles and global policy and economics environments. Altogether, these are driving pressures on lakes, especially by increasing the nutrient loading into freshwater bodies. Responses to these pressures should be context- and scale-specific, locally tailored, and process-based. The uPcycle framework brings this process into light, and highlights the importance of baseline assessments, and review and feedback processes. As part of this active discussion, LATAM representatives brought their own expertise, experiences and energies to give feedback and inputs to the uPcycle framework and identify how it can apply to their context. 

The presentations from Latin American representatives revealed several common themes related to phosphorus management. While monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms and water quality indicators is common and prevalent across nations, most nations lack a cohesive national phosphorus management strategy. Issues around data and governance fragmentation was a key theme across talks. For example, many countries in attendance, including Brazil and Uruguay, have strong academic monitoring strategies but struggle with national nutrient accounting and knowledge transfer to policy. While the Latin American talks outlined key gaps knowledge and monitoring, they identified areas for international and cross-sector knowledge sharing and collaboration, including coordination across scientific institutes, and strategies to involve local stakeholders in restoration projects. By kickstarting a Latin American Community of practice, this network can work together to begin to bridge these gaps and work towards common environmental goals.

The Lake Villarrica Decontamination Plan is a regional pilot that can serve as an instrumental case study.  Treating a hydrological catchment requires a mix of actions focused on aquaculture regulation, rural sanitation, implementation of good agricultural and livestock practices, local citizen science and wider community engagement, and treatment of point sources like Curarrehue water. By engaging with pilot studies such as these, and by sharing successes via the uPcycle Community of Practice, international communities of lake practitioners can share useful examples and restoration strategies across borders.

The uPcycle products shared as part of this trip will also serve as useful tools to bridge data gaps and support the development of actionable phosphorus management policies. For example, the nearly launched Global Lakes Explorer covers >40,000 lakes worldwide and provides a platform for lake management practitioners to compare nutrient emissions and environmental risks across countries and catchments, and allows lake practitioners to download data for their own lake catchments and conduct their own analyses. Meanwhile, the new National Phosphorus Action Planning Framework (Figure 3) provides a practical approach for developing National Phosphorus Action Plans that support sustainable phosphorus management. Our workshops highlighted that while the uPcycle framework is comprehensive, implementation must account for economic sectors and private finance as primary drivers for mitigation measures.

The uPcycle Chile meeting (consisting of keynote-style presentations, round-table discussions, tool demonstrations, field trips, and interactive workshops) proved to be a successful workshop structure that can be replicated for other GEF projects. Key learning points for capacity building on the back of this experience include:

1. Encouraging lake restoration practitioners to use standardised multi-step monitoring cycles (from design to reporting) to ensure baseline assessments are robust and actionable.
2. Building and maintaining the uPcycle Community of Practice. With 297 registered lake restoration practitioners, the Community of Practice serves as a hub for sharing success stories. Furthermore, the newly kickstarted Latin American Community of Practice and work together specifically on lake restoration issues prevalent within their region.
3. Investing in community engagement and citizen science initiatives such as the “Daphnitas citizen science lab”, which empowers young women in freshwater science.
4. Further development of data tools to support local and global phosphorus action. For example, the Global Lakes Explorer could be replicated to more local contexts or provide the option for lake restoration practitioners to upload and compare their own in-situ monitoring data.
5. Further refining the Framework for National Phosphorus Action Planning based on feedback to include international benchmarks and clearer guidance on dealing with data uncertainty.

Phosphorus mismanagement is a national security, biodiversity, and food system risk. Through this visit to Chile, the uPcycle project has helped to establish a strategic international united front within Latin America to address these challenges. Going forward, this network must transition from a system hampered by fragmented governance and data to an integrated, transboundary approach to freshwater protection and sustainable phosphorus management. The meeting built on the existing work of the Community of Practice to develop a network of lake restoration champions across Latin America. By integrating sustainable phosphorus management into national policies and aligning with SDG 6.3.2, the project ensures that the lessons learned through the Decontamination Plan at Lake Villarrica can inform both regional (e.g. Latin America) and global efforts to create cleaner lakes and more resilient, circular nutrient systems.