Book excerpt: Preserving the Dnipro River is based on a major international research project directed by Ukrainian and Canadian scientists begun in 1994 and completed in 2001. It describes the importance of the Dnipro from an historical perspective, details the steps taken by these international scientists to overcome the river's environmental degradation, and outlines a strategy to rehabilitate and preserve the Dnipro's unique biodiversity. This volume also explores a unique approach to sustainable management that blends together both natural and spiritual concerns and draws together philosophical concepts from numerous intellectual traditions, bridging East and West, North and South.