Mountains are like the sleeping giants of the Earth: silent, but always ready to wake up with an avalanche of emotions! If mountains could talk, they would probably tell us stories about brave mountaineers and goats doing yoga on overhangs. And let’s not forget that they are also the best places for a coffee break with a breathtaking view!
Mountains, world day
World Mountain Day, celebrated every year on 11 December, was established by the United Nations in 2003, to keep attention focused on the problems facing mountain regions.
Mountains cover about 27% of the earth’s surface and are home to about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
They provide fresh water to about half the world’s population and are crucial for climate regulation.
They are also places of great cultural and spiritual value for many indigenous communities. Equipped with sports and recreational attractions, they attract about 15-20% of world tourism, highlighting the economic and cultural importance of these regions.
As a result, mountains are among the most fragile and threatened ecosystems on the planet. Climate change, deforestation, urbanisation and the exploitation of natural resources are causing severe damage to entire ecosystems.
Glacier shrinkage not only contributes to sea level rise, but also alters the ecological balance of mountain regions, with significant consequences for local communities and surrounding ecosystems.
Mountains protection
Mountain protection focuses on immediate and direct measures to safeguard these ecosystems from specific threats.
These measures may include:
- Creation of protected areas, i.e. the establishment of national parks and nature reserves to restrict access and human activities.
- Legislation and regulation, with the implementation of laws and regulations to prevent harmful activities such as deforestation, mining and uncontrolled urbanisation.
- Monitoring and surveillance, continuous control of mountain areas to detect and prevent illegal or harmful activities.
One example of mountain protection is the Alpine Convention, a pioneering treaty signed in 1991 by eight Alpine countries and the EU.
This document aims to protect sensitive Alpine ecosystems, regional cultural identities and Alpine heritage for future generations.
The establishment of the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy and the protection measures applied here have enabled the recovery of threatened species such as the Alpine ibex.
The example of the Mountain Forests in Costa Rica is also remarkable; this study involved the creation of protected areas and the restoration of degraded habitats, but also promoted sustainable agricultural practices and involved local communities in the management of natural resources.
Mountains conservation
Conservation, as opposed to protection, encompasses all actions and practices aimed at maintaining and improving the long-term health of mountain ecosystems.
This includes the sustainable management of natural resources, such as theresponsible use of water, timber and minerals, and the restoration of habitats through action to restore degraded areas and biodiversity.
The Himalayan Mountain Conservation programme in India is relevant.
It has promoted reforestation, sustainable water management and environmental education, involving local populations.
The Vetto d’Enza terracing project in Italy has made it possible to resume cultivation after decades of neglect.
This slope arrangement has improved soil conservation through the reintroduction of traditional farming systems and developed sustainable strategies for the preservation of the rural landscape heritage.
Mountain conservation therefore requires collective commitment and concrete actions to ensure that these ecosystems continue to provide their valuable services and support the communities that live in them.
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