Why mountain forests are important

Abstract

Mountains cover 24% of the Earth's land surface, are home to 12% of the global population, and include 28% of the world's forests. Mountain forests provide a wide range of benefits to both mountain and downstream populations, notably the protection of watersheds and of transport infrastructure. They are also important as centres of biodiversity; important sources of timber, fuelwood and non-wood products; places for tourism and recreation; and sacred places. Many are also being considered as possible carbon sinks to mitigate climate change. Mountain forests are subject to many forces of change, interacting in complex ways. The frequency of natural disturbances is increasingly influenced by human activities at local, regional, and global scales. Air pollution has influenced many forests down-wind of industrial areas, but climate change represents a greater and highly unpredictable force for change. It will require new types of decisions by all stakeholders, and new forest management approaches and policies. The International Year of Mountains, 2002, presents a unique opportunity to foster greater co-operation to ensure that mountain forests continue to provide benefits to a significant proportion of the world's population well into the 21st century and beyond.