Long-term environmental observations in mountain biosphere reserves: Recommendations from the EU GLOCHAMORE project

GLOCHAMORE (GLObal CHAnge in MOuntain REgions), a joint project of UNESCO–MAB and the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) (Becker and Bugmann 2001) is funded under the European Union (EU) Sixth Framework programme ‘Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems’ to develop and implement a strategy to detect signals of global environmental change in mountain environments across a network of observation sites in selected UNESCO–MAB Biosphere Reserves (MBRs; see the map of MBRs published in MRD vol 25 no 3, August 2005, p 283). Following the MAB Biosphere Reserves Integrating Monitoring concept (Lass and Reusswig 2002), these observations will involve both natural and socioeconomic systems (Leeand Schaaf 2004). The present article presents the recommendations of natural scientists and MBR managers based on a workshop held in Vienna, Austria, 9–10 May 2004, entitled “Long-term Monitoring and Analysis of Indicators of Environmental Change in Mountain Regions.”