An integrated framework for implementing freshwater protected areas informed by structured expert elicitation

Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened globally, yet practical guidance for implementing targeted freshwater protected areas remains limited. While terrestrial and marine conservation planning is supported by established frameworks, freshwater conservation often lacks structured implementation models linking ecological prioritization with governance and operational management. This study develops and critically appraises a conceptual and operational framework integrating ecological assessment, governance structures, and sequential implementation phases to guide the implementation of river-focused Freshwater Protected Areas from prioritization to management. The framework was developed through structured literature synthesis and assessed through a single-round expert elicitation involving 43 respondents from nine countries across Europe, South America, and Oceania, covering academic, governmental, consultancy and non-governmental backgrounds. Quantitative results indicated generally high ratings regarding framework completeness, conceptual clarity, policy relevance, and internal coherence. Qualitative analysis of 479 open-ended comment units led mainly to clarity refinements and operational improvements, without structural changes. Expert elicitation provided conceptual appraisal and refinement of the literature-derived framework, rather than representative global validation, formal consensus-building or empirical field testing. Peer-review refinements were not re-appraised by the expert panel; the final framework therefore builds on the expert-appraised version. The final framework emphasizes governance and stakeholder participation as cross-cutting elements and proposes sequential phases linking ecological prioritization, legal designation, and adaptive management. By integrating ecological knowledge with governance dimensions, the framework helps bridge the gap between freshwater conservation science and implementation. This structured approach may support more effective design and implementation of freshwater protected areas within broader conservation strategies.