Alpine National Park, Australia

The Alpine National Park is one of the jewels of Victoria's magnificent parks system. It contains the headwaters of many of our major rivers, and is much loved for its spectacular mountain scenery, diverse flora and fauna, and outstanding recreational opportunities.

In order to better protect this environmentally significant area, the government has decided that cattle grazing will no longer be allowed in the Alpine National Park. It will continue elsewhere in the high country in state forest.

Some 60 years worth of scientific research by CSIRO, university and other scientists shows the damage that cattle grazing causes to fragile alpine environments. Cattle damage soils, trample mossbeds and watercourses, threaten rare native flora and fauna, and spread weeds.

The Alpine National Park should protect the natural environment – now and for future generations.

The decision not to renew the grazing licences in the Alpine National Park will provide better protection for this highly significant area and lay the foundation for stronger tourism growth in the region.

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SIACHEN PEACE PARK GAINING MOMENTUM

The Siachen glacier between India and Pakistan is the longest mountain glacier in the world - and the world's highest battlefield. Since 20 years, the armed forces of India and Pakistan have fought on the Saltaro Ridge, south of the Siachen Glacier, with at least 15,000 casualties - mainly from altitude and weather - and devastating the unique glacier environment. 1000 kg of human waste per day are dropped into crevasses on the Indian side alone. Causing pollution and degradation in the mountain area, all this garbage will eventually end up in the Indus River, on whose waters millions of people depend.

Turning the entire area into a Transboundary Peace Park may help resolving this conflict. This park would enable both parties to withdraw under conditions of honour and dignity; it would save thousands of lives and billions of rupees; and it would stop further degradation of a magnificent mountain area. Transboundary Peace Parks aim to foster cooperation and peace between countries and to conserve ecosystems which do not recognize national borders. The number of Transboundary Protected Areas, more than 169 today, has doubled since 1990.

An informal group of the World Commission on Protected Areas, together with a range of international organisations, is promoting the Siachen Peace Park. This includes an active group in the USA, based at the University of Vermont. IUCN - The World Conservation Union joined with the mountaineering group of the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) in 2002 to sponsor a series of summit climbs in Switzerland as symbolic Peace Climbs involving Indian and Pakistani mountaineers. Under the Italian "K2 2004 - 50 years later" project, the idea of the Siachen Peace Park was presented at the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress, with representatives from Indian and Pakistani non-governmental organisations amongst the audience.

At this year's International Environmental Security conference in The Hague, international organizations expressed their will to help in funding and supporting the Siachen Peace Park. For September this year, a workshop "Save the Siachen: an Environmental Initiative" is planned after the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan, with some 80 diplomats, celebrities and researchers expected to attend. However, the success of all activities is dependent on the military negotiations first, that are only recovering slowly after the major crisis caused by terrorist attacks in 2001 and 2002.

Mountain Research and Development, Vol 22, No 4 (abstract)
The IUCN/UIAA Peace Climb
Siachen Peace Park Presentation at Vth IUCN World Parks Congress

New guidance on the conservation of mountains - the
"Guidelines for Planning and Managing Mountain Protected Areas"

Mountains are special places and of immense value: they serve as theworld's water towers, half of the world's 24 biodiversity hot spots are in mountains, and they provide home to one tenth of the global population with an exceptional cultural diversity. But mountains are under threat - from climate change, exploitation of their resources, air pollution, invasive species, and inappropriate development - and need urgent protection. To further the establishment and management of mountain protected areas, IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas has now published the "Guidelines for Planning and Managing Mountain Protected Areas".

This new manual, co-authored by Lawrence Hamilton and Linda McMillan, provides general recommendations for setting up new protected areas and managing these in the special mountain environment. The handbook is intended to provide the framework for developing specific guidelines or management plans at the national and especially at the site level. It deals with issues such as water and soil conservation, interpretation, tourism, climate change and air quality and provides guidance on the selection of mountain protected areas, involvement of local communities and conservation of cultural and spiritual values of mountains.

Guidelines for Planning and Managing Mountain Protected Areas (bookmarked pdf, 1,7 MB)

The WCPA Mounains Theme Programme

Celebrating our Mountains UPDATE Editor

Larry Hamilton, IUCN WCPA Vice Chair Mountains for the exceptional period of 1991 to 2003 has stepped down from his Vice Chair leadership role. He is now the WCPA mountains theme UPDATE Editor amoungst many of his other volunteer duties. To celebrate his extraordinary achievements as Vice Chair, a special commemorative event was held for Larry during the "Mountains dinner" evening at the Durban World Parks Congress in September 2003. Jim Thorsell was as master of ceremonies for the very memorable evening. A special edition of Update (39A) "Celebrating Larry Hamilton" was produced. Amoungst many accolades, presentations and tributes to his energy and leadership from the mountains "team", Larry was awarded the prestigious IUCN Fred Packard award by the Chairman of IUCN WCPA, Dr Kenton Miller. Larry continues working with the WCPA Mountains Theme as the editor of the UPDATE quarterly newsletter.

UPDATE Outreach Newsletter

The Mountain Theme quarterly newsletter Mountain Protected Areas UPDATE, goes out currently to 485 PA managers, scientists and key mountain users in 67 countries.  It continues to be reproduced in the Australian Alps National Parks and sent around to all of the PA staff of the 8 park units in 4 agencies.  This is now due to the present Project Coordinator, Virginia Logan.  UPDATE is also translated into Russian, thanks to Eurasia Vice-Chair Natalia Danilina and sent around to all Zapovedniks.  It is also in The Mountain Forum electronic archives and available to all members of the Forum. This all seems like worthwhile outreach for WCPA, and at a cost to the Commission of only US$3,120 per year.  In 2002, the International Year of the Mountain, the Scottish National Heritage sponsored UPDATE. During 2003 Transgrid of Australia sponsored the Newsletter, and a sponsor has been secured for the 2004 editions.

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