Dragonflies (Odonata) are ancient and familiar insects with a deep and strong cultural association with humans. They have an aquatic larval stage and an aerial adult stage, meaning that they respond to ecological conditions in both freshwater and the adjacent land surface. Currently, 16% of dragonflies are threatened. Overall, they face several threats, especially habitat loss, landscape transformation, pollution, altered hydrology, spread of invasive alien species, as well as certain geographic-specific threats. Overarching these threats, which can be interactive with each other, is the issue of global climate change and attendant extreme weather events. While many localised and habitat specialist species are under extreme threat, some other dragonfly species, mostly habitat generalists, benefit from certain moderate human activities, especially the creation of high-quality artificial ponds. As well-researched insects, dragonflies play an important role in the protection of freshwater and riparian ecosystems. Dragonfly assemblages have great value as sentinels of both deteriorating environmental conditions and ecosystem recovery following restoration. While similar findings on both threats and conservation actions are emerging across the world, certain ecosystems require targeted approaches. Above all, dragonflies must be included more widely in general biodiversity conservation activities and policies. Overall, dragonflies are important targets, tools and model organisms for conservation action, and they can act as potential surrogates for other taxa that also depend on high water and riparian zone quality. While research has paved the way to address these challenges, including the use of new technologies, we now urge that dragonflies be included more strongly in policy and management associated with both freshwater and adjacent terrestrial realms. This inclusion is especially effective as dragonflies have great appeal to a diverse community of people from odonatologists (citizen and professional) through to policymakers and managers, all of whom can employ dragonflies to contribute more to freshwater-associated conservation. Finally, we propose an action plan focusing on five action points that address opportunities, and we suggest where dragonflies can play a greater role in freshwater/riparian zone conservation more widely across the world. © 2025 The Author(s). Insect Conservation and Diversity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society.