The Mountains
Theme Programme
 The
Mountains Theme has achieved notable success.
The network currently numbers around 490 individuals,
located in 67 countries. It is nourished by a
free quarterly newsletter, Mountain Protected
Areas UPDATE, currently 14 pages. In addition,
this is photocopied in Australia and sent out
to all professionals of the Australian Alps National
Parks. It is translated into Russian by the Environmental
Centre Zapovedniks and sent out to 55 Zapovedniks
and national parks. Several MtPA twinnings or
partnerships and joint research projects have
arisen because of network interaction.
The Theme Deputy Vice Chair has
been representing IUCN WCPA on the Mountains Initiative
Task Force under the chairmanship of Dr Martin
Price. This group is facilitating co-operative
mountains initiatives within IUCN and between
other agencies.
The Mountain Theme has co-sponsored
or officially collaborated in planning and implementing
several major conferences and workshops, such
as: Mountain Transborder Protected Area Cooperation
(Australia 1995); Transboundary Protected Areas
in Europe (Czech Republic 1996); Linking Mountain
Protected Areas to Create Large Conservation Corridors
(Canada, World Conservation Congress 1996); III
Simposio Internacional de Desarrollo Sustentable
de Montañas (Ecuador 1998); Workshop on Mediterranean
Mountain Protected Areas (Italy 1999); National
Mountain Conference (USA 2000); Alpine Stewardship
(USA 2001); Human Use Management of Mountain Areas
(Canada 2001); and, Mountain Protected Areas Workshop,
Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa, 2003 (See
report under News)..
A strategy for the IUCN WCPA Mountains
Theme for the period 2004-2008 has been developed
and is posted on this website. We encourage you
to read this, and to contact us if you would like
to help with any of the organising of these projects.
A major research and management
of Cloud Forests Symposium is being planned for
Hawaii in 2004.
A major thrust and spin-off from
the Mountain Theme is a Mountain Cloud Forest
Initiative which is carrying out inventory, producing
a directory, increasing awareness and promoting
research. The data base is held by UNEP-WCMC,
and the coordinator, Philip Bubb is based there
(mailto:philip.bubb@wcmc.org.uk).
It has been formally constituted
as a coalition group: IUCN Forest Conservation
and Protected Areas Programs/WCPA Mountain Theme/WWF
Forests for Life Program/WCMC/UNESCO Hydrological
Program/Free University of Amsterdam, plus 3 regional
NGO representatives.
Workshop
Programme 2005 - 2008
Three
workshops dealing with Mountain Conservation Connectivity
Management; Transboundary Conservation Management
in Mountains; and Managing Ecotourism in Mountain
Protected Areas are planned. The IUCN World Commission
for Protected Areas Mountains Biome Theme has
programmed these 3 workshops during the next 4
years for mountain protected area managers. They
are an integral part of its 4 year strategic plan
for 2005-2008, and involve leading mountain management
experts.
Workshop
Programme Brochure
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