Mountain Regions and Conservation Programme |
| Overview |
Until 1992, mountain regions were barely on the horizon for most policy makers. Mountains are typically regarded as marginal: usually located at the edges of nations, with little direct importance in national economies, and far from centres of political decision making. Yet, with the inclusion of a chapter on mountains in "Agenda 21", the plan for action signed by most of the world's leaders at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, mountains have begun to emerge onto international and national political agendas. The reasons are clear. Mountain regions occupy one-fifth of the Earth's land surface and affect the lives of half the entire human populations; in addition, over 500 million people rely directly on them for their livelihoods. Their global importance has been more recently recognised by the declaration of 2002 as the International Year of Mountains
Mountain regions are characterised by their great cultural diversity. Their global importance is based upon their contributions to agriculture, forestry, energy, water and other resources and their role as places for tourism and recreation. They are also important centres of biodiversity and the source of many of the world's major food plants. Equally, they play a crucial role in influencing climates at all scales, and their glaciers and organisms are valuable as early indicators of climate change. Yet our understanding of these highly complex environments is limited by factors such as the political sensitivity of many mountain regions, a degree of ignorance as to their importance, and a lack of systematic research and of co-ordination of research results. Improved understanding of mountain systems is essential to address the impacts of environmental changes such as air and water pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change; as well as the diverse changes deriving from the increasing integration of mountain societies in the global economy.
| ECI programme and objectives |
In 1995, the Rhodes Trust recognised the importance of mountain regions by funding the establishment of a Mountain Regions Programme (MRP) at the ECI. It has three objectives:
• to raise the profile of mountain research;
• to act as a focal point in the development of networks of scientists,
practitioners, companies, and others with a direct interest in mountain regions;
• to identify priority gaps in our knowledge about short- and long-term environmental
changes in mountain regions and to undertake research that addresses these priorities.
Members of the programme are also involved in a number of activities relating to the conservation of biological and landscape diversity in mountain and other environments.
| Programme activities |
In his role as Focal Point for Mountain Activities of the IUCN European Programme, Dr Martin Price prepared the programme of activities under Action Theme 10 (mountain ecosystems) of the Pan-European Biological and Landscape Diversity Strategy, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the UN Environment Programme.
For the period 1997-1999, he is leading the implementation of these activities, focussing on the assessment and management of the environmental impacts of recreational activities; and the development of regional approaches for conservation and sustainable development, in the Carpathians and Caucasus following models from Western Europe.
One primary activity on this theme was a seminar that took place during May 1998 in Barcelona entitled, 'Climbers, Mountains and the Environment: Managing access for environmental protection'. It was co-organised by the Mountain Regions Programme and the Catalonian Alpine Club on behalf of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA).
In addition, a report on cooperation in the Alps will be published. This focuses on the implementation of the Alpine Convention and the three ‘working communities’ in the western, central, and eastern Alps. The value of lessons from these experiences is being evaluated, particularly with regard to the Carpathians and Caucasus. Reports on current issues of importance for the conservation of biological and landscape diversity, and existing institutions and frameworks, are also being prepared in collaboration with organisations from these regions.
This conference was hosted in Oxford during December 1997. It was attended by 128 people from 30 different countries. The conference report identifies research and information needs towards greater understanding of the impacts of interacting global processes on mountain regions. It therefore contributes to the emerging global agenda for sustaining mountain environments and societies, and has been one of the primary inputs to the development of a Mountain Initiative within the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP)
The proceedings of the conference, "Global Change in the Mountains", have been published by Parthenon Publishing. These include the conclusions and recommendations, together with 70 extended abstracts and regional introductions for mountain regions around the world.
Follow-up to the conference is also being assured by the new Mountain Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society, which maintains a database of mountain researchers and their activities around the world.
Chapter 13 of 'Agenda 21', the plan for action endorsed by most of the world's leaders at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, is entitled 'Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development'. In 1997, Dr Martin Price prepared a review of the implementation of this chapter for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
This is probably the first review of the implementation of any chapter of 'Agenda 21', and concludes with recommendations for further action, particularly in relation to the global work programme for sustainable development proposed by the UN General Assembly Special Session in June 1997.
In 1996, as Focal Point for Mountain Activities of the European Programme of IUCN, Dr. Martin Price, the Programme Leader of the MRP, played a central role in organising the first European Inter-governmental Consultation on Sustainable Mountain Development, an integral part of the follow- up to Chapter 13 of 'Agenda 21': "Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development".
The Consultation, which included sessions in Scotland (April 1996) and Italy (October 1996), involved participants from 20 European governments, the European Commission, and many regional and international organisations. The proceedings of the second session identify the key issues to be addressed.
The principles and recommendations in this document have been considered by the Council of Europe in its preparation of a draft Charter for European Mountain Regions; and also by the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Parliament, which produced a report "Towards a European Mountain Policy", in 1997.
In 1996, the programme was involved in evaluating two of the major agents of change in mountain regions - tourism and climate change - for "Mountains of the World: A Global Priority", a global assessment funded by the Swiss government. This book was published by Parthenon Publishing and UNU Press in 1997, in preparation for the review of implementation of all chapters of 'Agenda 21' by a Special Session of the UN General Assembly. In 1999, Dr. Martin Price worked with the Centre for Development and Environment of the University of Bern, Switzerland, to produce a report on mountains and tourism for the 7th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
A critical issue for both the residents of mountain areas and those living downstream is the management of mountain forests. These provide not only many products which are essential for the livelihood of mountain people, but vital goods and services - such as water, recreation and biodiversity - to far wider communities. In his capacity as co-ordinator of the Task Force on Forests in Sustainable Mountain Development of the International union of Forestry Research Organisations (IUFRO), Dr Price organised a special session at the World Forestry Congress in Antalya, Turkey, which set priorities for future work on this important issue.
In 1999, the programme is coordinating the preparation and production of a state-of-knowledge report on forests in sustainable mountain development. This will be presented at the IUFRO Congress 2000 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It also ties in to many other international activities relating to forests, including the Inter-governmental Forum on Forests and the FAO’s Forest Resources Assessment.
Since 1976, UNESCO has designated 352 biosphere reserves in 87 countries, including 13 in the UK. Biosphere reserves are meant to be "sites of excellence to explore and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development on a regional scale". Yet there is a considerable difference between this concept and the reality for at least half of the world’s biosphere reserves, including all those in the UK. In 1998, the programme undertook a review of the UK biosphere reserves on contract to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), as a key element of advice to government. The final report will be published in summer 1999 and is likely to be followed by a public consultation process.
Dr Martin Price is Rapporteur of UNESCO’s Advisory Committee on Biosphere Reserves, which advises the Director-General of UNESCO on scientific and technical matters concerning biosphere reserves and the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Fraser MacDonald, the MRP's first DPhil Student and holder of a University Pirie-Read Scholarship, is undertaking a study of conservation and crofting in Highland Scotland. This is one of the major current land management issues in the mountains of Britain, and the study should provide an important contribution to the debate and future policy decisions.
Contact: Dr Martin Price
