Ecological guidelines for balanced land use, conservation and development in high mountains

The high mountains of the world represent one of the most extreme environments on our planet. Yet they are of immense value to mankind as sources of food, fibre, minerals and water; and they are rich in a variety of living natural resources. Though mountainous regions stand above their surroundings, usually more densely populated plains, they are linked to them in numerous ways, economically, socially and ecologically. They have the appearance of permanence and isolation; in reality they are fragile regions whose welfare is bound­ up with that of the adjoining regions.

These guidelines have been produced for those who have to make decisions on the development of high mountains. It is hoped that they will help ensure that the resources of such areas are used in accordance with ecological principles, and thus enabled to support, and sustain, development in the regions affected, avoiding the destruction of soils, forests, water catchments and wildlife resources which has been such a marked feature of the mismanagement of many mountain regions in recent years.

The guidelines were commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and prepared in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) by Duncan Poore and Ray under UNEP/IUCN projects FP/1103­75­04 and FP/1110­79­01. Additional financial support was received from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The guidelines represent the outcome of a long period of consultation, and have drawn upon the experience of IUCN over the years. The guidelines were reviewed in draft at a national conference on the Conservation of High Mountain Resources held in Canterbury, New Zealand in November 1977*, sponsored by the Government of New Zealand and organized with the support of IUCN and UNEP. At that conference many constructive suggestions were made for the improvement of the text and the draft guidelines were revised and expanded. Following the conference, the New Zealand Government decided to use the guidelines as a basis for developing a national policy for the management of mountain areas.