IUCN-WCPA Mountains Network
A Global Community of Mountain Experts & Advocates Working to Protect Mountain Environments

On the 18^th November at the Bangkok World Conservation Congress, The IUCN-The World Conservation Union officially launched its newest book on managing mountain protected areas.

“Today, I am delighted to officially launch a new book, “Guidelines for Planning and Managing Mountain Protected Areas here at the 2004 IUCN World Conservation Congress” said the head of IUCN’s programme on protected areas, Mr David Sheppard.

“This is an important new publication for IUCN and is being made available throughout the world. It is part of our programme to help improve the management capacity of protected area managers and agencies, and it is rather special because of its focus on mountain protected areas” Mr Sheppard said.

Mountains occupy over 25% of the Earth and are one of its great landscape features. Over 9000 mountain protected areas (including some 61 high mountain World Heritage areas) have been established world wide, from Mount Everest in Nepal to Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Mountains are very special and important to many peoples. They are also very fragile and need special management. In September 2003, 60 of the world’s leading mountain management experts met in the Drakensberg Mountains, South Africa to prepare guidelines for planning and managing mountain protected areas. They did this as an investment for the future, and they were successful.

The resulting guidelines are rich in information. The new book includes 10 chapters, over 80 pages of guidelines and advice flowing from experienced mountain managers from Nepal to Chile, Canada to New Zealand and another 22 mountainous countries. It covers topics such as managing biodiversity conservation, threats, ecotourism, and dealing with climate change. It was synthesised and edited by Emeritus Professor Larry Hamilton and Linda McMillan.

“IUCN is very proud to launch this book today, and I extend my congratulations to IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas mountains team, especially Larry Hamilton and Linda McMillan for making this happen” Mr Sheppard concluded.

Copies of the book may be obtained at a price of GBP 11.50 from:
IUCN Publications Services, Unit219c, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 ODL,United Kingdom
Email: info@books.iucn.orgwww.iucn.org/bookstore