Publications
Entitled: A Teaching Resource Kit for Mountain Countries, it is a new environmental education kit similar to the Teaching Resource Kit for Dryland Countries published by UNESCO in 2008. It is based on the same innovative approach appealing to the creativity and artistic sensibility of pupils aged around 10 to 15, and is intended for secondary-school (and late primary-school) teachers and their...
In this report, the determinants of economic poverty in mountain areas are analysed using nationally representative livelihood data at the household level. Economic poverty has a central position, because it is perceived to be at the very core of the poverty definition: the inability to fulfil basic needs. Other poverty dimensions, for example a lack of basic facilities and lack of education, are...
Humans benefit from biodiversity rich areas in many ways: aesthetically, culturally, via the provision of services such as climate regulation; regulation of floods, drought, land degradation; soil formation and nutrient cycling; and from the direct harvest of biodiversity for food, fuel, fodder, fibres, and pharmaceuticals. These services are crucial for sustainable economic, social, cultural and...
Mountain forests are important for governments to find a balance between productive uses of forests and their protection. To this end, one important step would be to recognize and support mountain people in their role as the primary users and guardian of mountan forests. Mountain people depend on the entire forest ecosystem for their survival. Mountain forest policies should acknowledge the needs...
Paramos form the upper part, above the treeline, of the Northern Andes. As such, they form a discontinuous belt between the Cordillera of Merida in Venezuela and the Cajamarca area in Peru. Vertically, they cover the upper region of the northern Andes between the upper forest line (about 3400 m altitude) and the permanent snow line (about 5000 m) (Castaño, 2002; Hofstede et al., 2003)Paramos are...
Mountains occupy 24% of the global land surface area and are home to 12% of the world’s population. Mountains have an ecological, aesthetic, and socioeconomic significance, not only for those living in the mountain areas, but also for people living beyond them. About 10% of the world’s population depends directly on mountain resources for their livelihoods and wellbeing, and an estimated 40%...
Along with the Greater Himalaya, in the eastern Himalayan region there has been increased efforts to bring more areas under the Protected Area Network. Protected areas including conservation areas in Arunachal Pradesh are mostly located in the low and mid-elevation forest areas. To address the need of having a protected area in the higher altitudes of the State, of late a biosphere reserve has...
This study offers a perspective on the changing use and social significance of the Sibillini mountains over time. Interestingly, taking a historical overview provides a kind of intellectual framework for perceiving today’s demand that mountains offer increasing tourist and health related activities, provide a refuge, and an environment for counter urbanization.This study is the first...
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20) to be held in June 2012 will have green economy as one of its two main themes. This paper has been prepared to strengthen arguments for discussing mountain issues at Rio+20 and in other global discourses. The aim is to ensure renewed efforts and commitment by the global community at Rio+20 to prioritise mountain issues in...
Mountains offer vertical environmental gradients for life otherwise only seen over several thousands of kilometers of latitudinal distance. A gravity shaped extremely diverse topography provides opportunities for additional diversification of life, leading to unbeaten biodiversity. Mountains are cradles and refuges of organismic diversity and given their coverage of such a wide spectrum of...