IGU Commission
Diversity in
Mountain Systems
Chairman:
Prof. Dr. Jörg Stadelbauer
Dept. of Cultural Geography
University of Freiburg
D-79085 Freiburg
Fax: +49 761 203 3575
e-mail:
joerg.stadelbauer@geographie.
uni-freiburg.de
Newsletter 14 / December 2007
1
Editorial
Dear Colleagues,
welcome to everyone in the mountain community. If you are not yet member of our
commission, please contact me by sending an e-mail so that I can include you into the list of
members. Of course, membership should not be written only on a paper: Please feel motivated
to conduct further mountain research, to inform other members about it and to participate in
the activities and meetings of the Commission! This is said especially to those who are
member of a national specialty group on (high-)mountain research.
Members of the Steering Committee 2004 – 2008 of our commission are:
Professor Dr. Jörg STADELBAUER (chair)
(Germany)
University of Freiburg
Department of Cultural Geography
D-79085 Freiburg
E-mail: joerg.stadelbauer@geographie.unifreiburg.de
Prof. Dr. Yuri BADENKOV (Russia)
Institut Geografii Rossijskoy Akademii
Nauk
Staromonetnyy pereulok, 29
Moskva
E-mail: yubaden@mail.ru
PD Dr. Jörg LÖFFLER (Secretary)
(Germany)
University of Bonn
Department of Geography
Meckenheimer Allee 166
D-53115 Bonn
E-mail: loeffler@giub.uni-bonn.de
Prof. Dr. Monique FORT
UFR GHSS, Case 7001
Centre de Géographie Physique
Université Paris 7 – Denis Diderot
2 Place Jussieu
F-75 251 Paris Cedex 05
E-mail: fort@paris7.jussieu.fr
1
Prof. Donald A. FRIEND, Ph.D. (USA)
Department of Geography
Minnesota State University
Armstrong Hall 7
Mankato, MN 56001
E-mail: friend@mnsu.edu
Professor Dr. Hans HURNI (Switzerland)
Department of Geography
University of Berne
Hallerstrasse 12
CH-3012 Bern
E-mail: hurni@giub.unibe.ch
Professor Dr. Martin PRICE (UK)
Director, Centre for Mountain Studies
Perth College
UHI Millennium Institute
Crieff Road
Perth PH1 2NX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1738-877217
Fax: +44 (0) 1738-877018
URL : http://www.cms.uhi.ac.uk
E-mail: Martin.Price@groupwise.uhi.ac.uk
Prof. Fausto SARMIENTO, Ph.D.
The University of Georgia
212-B GG Building
The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
30606
Telephone: 706-542-1753
email: fsarmien@uga.edu
http://www.ggy.uga.edu/people/faculty/Sar
miento.htm
The Commission continues to register all interested scholars in an e-mailing list.
Please also visit our website: http://www.geographie.uni-freiburg.de/ikg/igu-mountain/
There, you will find the Newsletters edited by the IGU Commission “Diversity of Mountain
Systems” since 2000.
2001: Newsletter #1, Dec.
2002: Newsletter #2, June, #3 Dec.
2003: Newsletter #4, March, #5 Nov.
2004: Newsletter #6, July, #7 Dec.
2005: Newsletter #8, July, #9 Sept., #10 Dec.
2006: Newsletter #11, June, #12, Dec.
2007: Newsletter #13, Aug., #14, Dec.
2
Main event forthcoming: The International Geographical
Congress 2008, Tunis/Tunesia
The website for online-application is now open for the 2008 Tunis International Geographical
Congress. If you intend to participate, please send the following form to the organizing
committee. You will find all information available at the moment on the official website:
http://www.igc-tunis2008.com
I add the formal invitation by the national organizers:
2
Invitation
On behalf of the community of Tunisian geographers, it is my honour and privilege to invite
you to take part in the proceedings of the XXXIst Geographical Congress that will be held in
Tunis from August 12th to 15th 2008.
The 2008 Tunis Congress will be held under the aegis of
His Excellency Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the Republic of Tunisia.
It enjoys the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and
Technology, and is backed by various other ministerial departments and academic and
research institutions.
The Congress will be held in a country rich of a three thousand years old heritage, and
enjoying an exceptional geographical diversity. It is a country of openness and dialogue,
offering its hospitality to, and providing all world geographers with the necessary means to
grant the success of their congress.
For this major geographical event, the National Organizing Committee of the 2008 Tunis
Congress has planned a scientific agenda meant to further develop the reflection and
debates of the past two decades, while highlighting new paradigms and promoting new
stances to geographers.
«Building together our territories» will be the major theme of the Congress. Three major
issues will be discussed: the territory; the operational orientation of geography; and the role
of the players. Going beyond the classical divides of the discipline, these issues make of
geography a science that allows man to live intelligently with the others and his milieu.
Other breaking-news topics themes are also scheduled for debate. The evolution of
geographical thought; Cultures and Civilisations for Human Development; the Renaissance
of the Mediterranean; the International Year of the Planet Earth, are, inter alia, some of the
issues that will be raised, showing the ability of geographers to share their concerns with
others. Tunis 2008 will provide an ideal forum for geographers to express and confront their
visions on the major issues of our time.
The 2008 Tunis Congress will host 36 IGU committees and 4 working groups whose
activities will be integrated in the Congress general agenda. It will also offer the possibility of
convening meetings for the different IGU regional networks (the Commonwealth network,
Latin America network, South-East Asia network, Australia and the Pacific network) or for
other nascent networks (Mediterranean, Africa, the Arab world, etc). The 2008 Tunis
Congress will thus be a collective undertaking, aiming mainly at building and contributing to
the renewal of Geography.
The excursion programme will be particularly rich. Owing to the diversity of its landscapes
(from the Mediterranean forests to the desert, form the coast hills to the hinterland
mountains, from the urban centres to the countryside), and because of the multiplicity of
dynamics, constraints and the responses brought by society, the country does indeed offer
limitless opportunities.
The social programme is no less interesting. Other assets of the country will be made
available to you and to those accompanying you, so as to make of the Congress an
opportunity to share the charming facets of the life of geographers. Beaches, desert dunes,
oases, archaeological sites, festivals, the medinas, etc., are yet other opportunities to extend
3
the Congress into family vacations.
Dear colleagues,
We are looking forward to welcoming as many of you as possible so that we can build
together this major event in the life of the community of world geographers, while enhancing
and renewing the century-old tradition constituted by the International Congress of
Geography.
See you in Tunis 2008.
The CNOC Chairman
Adnane Hayder
Registration
The 31st Geographical Congress, Tunis2008, will be held during the tourism high season.
The Organizing Committee calls into attention that the registration procedures as well as
hotel reservations should be done as soon as possible in order to avoid facing any problem.
The organizers will apply the rule “First-come, first-served”. Moreover, abiding by the
deadline will allow the participants to benefit from registration and accommodation price fees
reductions.
Registration Calendar & Fees
Please note: The German National Committee of the IGU has been informed most recently,
that the registration fees for senior and student participants were reduced and are now 100
EURO less!
4
* Please submit proof of student status
Note: The registration fee include the access to the academic works spaces, the participation
in the opening and closing ceremonies, the supplies and the cocktail party.
Other Items
Field trip registration
posted fees fort each excursion.
Participation in training workshops………………….…posted fees for each workshop.
Participation in the welcoming program
Cocktail Party………………………………….............. (Included in the registration fees)
Farwell Diner-Gala………………………………………90 Euros
Participation in the social program…………………….Posted fees for each activity
Important : All reservations concerning these items will be stopped in May 31, 2008
Registration Method
To register, please fill out the application form with paying attention to the required
sections. After confirmation, it will immediately reach us and will be transmitted to the
Congress Secretariat which will, in its turn, send you your file number. Once you have paid
the fees through the way you have chosen, the Secretariat will transmit your final identifier.
For those who will not be able to finalize the registration process from the website of the
Congress, it will be possible to download the registration form, fill it out and send it to the
congress secretariat. Service contact via email, phone or fax is placed at their disposal by
our partner:
Millesima Travel
Email : secretariat@igc-tunis2008.com Tel. : +216 71 28 23 24 / 71 28 23 21 / 71 28 23 30
Fax. : +216 71 28 24 82
Please feel free to contact Millessima Travel for any change of information or application for
an additional allowance.
Payment details
Payments are to be made online using Credit Card or by bank wires to the following bank
account:
Beneficiary:
I.G.C Tunis 2008
Bank: Amen Bank 139 Bis, Boulevard 20 mars Le Bardo - 2000 Tunis
Account Numbers:
Wires from abroad:
IBAN
: TN 59 0720 6004 1105 8108 6783
Code BIC : CFCTTNTT
Wires from Tunisia :
RIB
: 0720 6004 1105 8108 6783
Important : Amount indicated are net and must reach integrally the congress bank account,
all bank charges are to be paid by sender.
Cancellation Policy
All cancellations must reach the congress secretariat by writing (by e-mail :
secretariat@igc-tunis2008.com or by Fax.: +216 71 28 24 82) before May 31st
5
2008. Cancellations made before May 31st are subject to 90 Euros cancellation fees, after
that date, no refund for cancellation will be possible.
Application Form
Click on this link to get the registration form : APPLICATION FORM
Abstracts
The scientific Committee of the Congress Tunis 2008 is happy to invite you to participate
in the workings of the 31st International Geographical Congress by presenting papers or
posters that relate to one of the Congress topics. For more information concerning these
topics, please go back to the Scientific Program section. Upon receiving your paper, the
scientific Committee will send you its decision as soon as possible.
Technical Characteristics
The abstracts (paper or poster) have to respect the following technical characteristics:
- Language: English or French
- - Maximum word number: 200 (Title is not included)
- - Text: Word
- - Font: Arial
- - Size: 12- Justification of the text from right to left
- - Bold and centered title.- The name or the author at the centre, below the title
- Institution and post & e-mail addresses at the centre below the author’s name
- No figures, maps, or statistic tables.
Abstract Submission
You are kindly invited to fill out the " Abstract Submission form " in the dynamic module,
in order to download your abstract. Whenever you have validated your form, we will
immediately receive it and send you a confirmation message. If you have not received this
confirmation message, please feel free to contact us at the following email: abstracts@igctunis2008.com
Attention: The deadline for abstract submission is fixed to May 31st 2008
Remark : If you can not send us your abstract form electronically (through the dynamic
module), for logistics reasons, you can just send it via Fax: +216 71 28 24 82 or by email:
abstracts@igc-tunis2008.com . Please do not forget to mention your name and surname,
your institution, country and contact.
Activities of the Commission during the main Congress
Our Commission intends to participate activily in the main congress with specialized
technical sessions. Therefore, I once again invite all members of the Commission to send
proposals for panels or individual papers either to the organizing committee at Tunis or to me.
One paper session will probably be organized in collaboration with Prof. Annick Douguédroit
(Chair of the Commission on Climatology); other joint sessions will be possible depending on
the interests of participating people. The presence of mountain researchers at the Tunis
Congress will also influence the decision of the IGU Executive Committee on the future of a
mountain Commission within the IGU network.
With the Tunis Congress, the second 4-Year turn of the Commission expires. Nevertheless,
we hope to continue the work of a mountain commission within the IGU network under a
different label. I shall inform you about the discussions in the next newsletter.
6
3
Awards, extraordinary events
None.
4
Conferences, Workshops in the future...
A regular service on forthcoming conferences and workshops is provided by the Mountain
Forum. Please contact the website: http://www.mtnforum.org/calendar/calendar.htm
4.1
Mountain GIS e-Conference:
Promoting Geographic Information and
Earth Observation Applications for the
Sustainable Development of the Hindu
Kush-Himalayan Region
14 -25 January 2008
Co-organisers: MENRIS Division of ICIMOD
and the Mountain Forum Secretariat
Online registration:
http://www.mtnforum.org/rs/ec/index.cfm?act
=reg&econfid=15
Contact person: gis@mtnforum.org
Web site:
http://www.mtnforum.org/rs/ec/index.cfm?eco
nfid=15
4.2
DIAMONT Final Conference
1 February, 2008
Innsbruck, Austria
The Interreg IIIb Project DIAMONT Data
Infrastructure for the Alps Mountain Orientated
Network Technology) was set up in close cooperation with the Alpine
Convention and aims to help with the
conceptualization of a pan-Alpine information
system, to identify problems of regional
development and to find solutions based on
existing or innovative regional development
instruments. The forthcoming DIAMONT Final
Conference will tackle such questions as ‘How
are the Alps developing?’, ‘To what degree are
they prepared to face the recent challenges of
fragmented spatial development and related
problems within regions?’, and ‘Which
instruments exist or can be developed to steer
development towards sustainability?’. The event
will present project results, look at key aspects of
Alpine regional development and discuss various
on-going processes. Conference organizers
encourage the participation of representatives
from politics, public administration, academia,
civil society and the interested public.
Participation is free of charge and all
presentations and discussions will be
simultaneously translated into French, German,
Italian and Slovenian.
Interested participants should send their
registration details (name, institution, address,
phone and e-mail) by e-mail
(valerie.braun@uibk.ac.at) or fax (+43-(0)512507-2895) before 31 December 2007.
(Peak to Peak: The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Nov./Dec. 2007)
4.3
Mountains of the World – Ecology,
Conservation and Sustainable Development
10 -14 February 2008,
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
The broad thematic areas of the conference are
(1) Climate and Physical Environment (2)
Biodiversity and Nature Conservation (3)
Rangelands and Animal Resources (4) Water
and Soil Resources and (5) Socioeconomic,
Policy and Management Issues. Both oral and
poster presentations would be organized under
these main themes.
Go to the conference website for more
information and for late registrations:
http://www.squ.edu.om/cesar/introduction.htm
4.4
2nd EURAC Workshop on Applied
Remote Sensing in Mountain Regions
13-14 March 2008
7
EURAC, Bolzano, Italy
Topic 2008: How can remote sensing
contribute to global change research in
mountain regions?
Contact:Marc.zebisch@eurac.edu
Please find more information and a preliminary
program at
www.eurac.edu/Org/AlpineEnvironment/Remo
teSensing/workshop0208.htm
4.5
European Geosciences Union (EGU)
General Assembly
April 15 - 18, 2008
Vienna, Austria
MRI would like to draw your attention to the
session “Mountain Hydrology and
Climatology: Present State and Future
Scenarios” (Cryospheric Sciences CR14, colisted in Hydrological Sciences), convened by
Daniel Viviroli (Berne, Switzerland) and
Carmen de Jong (Grenoble, France)
Deadline for abstracts: 14 January 2008.
For more information on the session, visit
http://www.cosis.net/members/meetings/sessio
ns/information.php? p_id=299&s_id=5571
The online submission system is open at
http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2008
4.6
International Symposium on
Interdependencies between Upland and
Lowland agriculture and resource
management
1-4 April 2008
Stuttgart, Germany
The symposium will address environmental
and socio-economic aspects of upland-lowland
interdependencies, as well as integrated
modelling issues, and aims to provide a multiand interdisciplinary platform for both
scientists and management professionals.
Papers are now sought for presentation at the
event. For further details, contact the
organizers.
You can easily register as participant and
upload your abstracts at our conference
homepage at:
https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/uplands2008/
We look forward to receive many interesting
contributions, which enrich our conference
program. Please feel free to contact us in case
that any problems occur.
Dr. agr. Michaela Neff
SFB 564 - The Uplands Program
University of Hohenheim (796)
70593 Stuttgart, Germany
Phone: +49 711-459-23322
Fax: +49-711-459-23430
Michaela.Neff@uni-hohenheim.de
4.7
Understanding and Managing
Amenity-led Migration in Mountain
Regions
15-19 May 2008
Banff Centre, Banff, Canada,
Mountain areas worldwide are accustomed to
welcoming visitors who enjoy the lifestyle
amenities that such places have to offer. They
enjoy the natural beauty, recreational
opportunities, unique cultures, and return to
their homes enriched by their mountain
experiences. But what happens when the
visitors and others come to stay? An
international conference on this
subject, ‘Understanding and Managing
Amenity-led Migration in Mountain Regions’
will take place in May 2008 in the northern
Rocky Mountains at The Banff Centre in
Banff, Canada. The Conference, organized by
the Mountain Culture Programme of the Banff
Centre and the International Amenity
Migration Centre (IAMC), will focus on
understanding and managing contemporary inmigration into mountain regions motivated
principally by the natural and cultural
amenities of these places. For details about the
conference objectives and the call for papers,
case studies and posters, visit the Conference
Web site:
www.banffcentre.ca/mountainculture/mtnconfe
rences/am/.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
4.8
International Geographical
Congress
August 11-15, 2008
Tunis, Tunesia
(see above)
4.9
The International Seminar on
Protected Area Management i
8
August 4-22, 2008
Northern Rocky Mountains of the western
United States.
Designed for senior level planners and
managers of nationally significant protected
areas worldwide, this integrated state-of-the-art
course examines strategies to conserve the
world's most special places. The program,
sponsored by the US Forest Service
International Programs and the Universities of
Montana, Idaho and Colorado State, will
evaluate policies and institutional
arrangements that sustain both people and
natural resources.
Tuition Cost: To be determined
Application Deadline: May 2, 2008
4.10
IAG/AIG Regional Conference on
Geomorphology: Landslides, Floods and
Global Environmental Change in Mountain
Regions
15 -25 September 2008,
Brasov, Romania
investigation of landslides, floods, and related
geomorphic processes in connection with
global environmental change.
Go to http://www.geomorph.org/ to download
the first circular.
4.11 10th International Symposium on
High Mountain Remote Sensing
Cartography
September 8-11, 2008; Field Excursion: from
September 12-19, 2008.
Kathmandu, Nepal
The Symposium will be organized by ICIMOD
(International Centre for Integradet Mountain
Development) in Kathamndu, Nepal.
Remember that the symposium not only
includes oral and poster sessions but also a
multi-day field excursion to the most scenic
places in Nepal Himalaya.
More information about the symposium can be
obtained from:
http://www.icimod.org/home/page.php?p=ann
Deadline for abstract submission is March 15,
2008 (pmool@icimod.org)
The geomorphologic community will gather to
exchange ideas and methods for the
5
Conferences, Workshops, Meetings, Events in the past
5.1.
Workshop on A Global Change
Research Network in African Mountains
23-25 July 2007
Kampala, Uganda
The workshop report can now be downloaded from
the MRI website:
http://mri.scnatweb.ch/content/view/170/80/
5.2
Managing Alpine Future
15-17 October 2007
Innsbruck, Austria
Read the conference notes by Dr. Astrid Björnsen
http://mri.scnatweb.ch/content/view/199/27/
5.3
The North American Mountain
Hydroclimate Workshop
17 -19 October 2007
Boulder, USA
The webcast is now online! To view the
presentations go to
http://mri.scnatweb.ch/content/view/196/73/
5.4
9th International Symposium on High
Mountain Remote Sensing Cartography
(HMRSC-IX)
Proceedings are available:
http://www.unigraz.at/geowww/hmrsc/proceedings9.htm
5.5
Global Warming and Ecosystem/
Biodiversity Changes: Facing the Challenge of
Changing Ecosystems
Dec. 2, 2007
An international seminar on 'Global Warming and
Ecosystem/Biodiversity Changes' was organised by
the Asia-Pacific Network (APN) for Global Change
Research in Kobe, Japan in December 2007.
ICIMOD, through Mr Basanta Shrestha, presented a
paper on the 'Impact of Climate Change on
Himalayan Glaciers and Glacial Lakes', which
generated considerable interest from an audience of
mostly international experts studying global
warming. The participants also spoke on the latest
scientific results and pointed out the importance of
adaptation. The participated looked into such
questions as: How does global warming affect
ecosystems? How do we face the challenges of
9
changing ecosystems? It is believed that
temperature rise and precipitation change will not
stop even if we moderately reduce greenhouse
gases. We need to begin raising societal
adaptability for changing ecosystems in addition to
efforts to mitigate global warming.
5.6
Workshop 'Climate Change and
Vulnerability of Mountain Ecosystems in the
Eastern Himalayan Region: Nepal Stakeholders'
12-13 December 2007
Kathmandu/Nepal: ICIMOD
ICIMOD
organised
a
two-day
national
stakeholders' workshop for Nepal on 'Climate
Change and Vulnerability of Mountain Ecosystems
in the Eastern Himalayan Region'. This was held
from 12-13 December 2007 at the ICIMOD
Headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal. The workshop
is a part of activities under the MacArthur
Foundation project on Assessment of Climate
Change Impacts on Vulnerable Mountain
Ecosystems in the Eastern Himalayan region. The
objectives of the workshop were to assess the
impacts of climate change on the vulnerable
mountain ecosystems of Nepal in particular, and to
identify adaptation and coping strategies, gap areas,
and the research questions for climate change
research.
The introductory session included presentations on
four thematic topics, namely: (a) climate change
scenarios in the eastern Himalayan region: regional
trends and projections, (b) biodiversity resources of
the eastern Himalayan region: challenges to climate
change, and (c) water, wetlands, and hazards:
responses to climate change, and (d) climate change
and human well being. About 50 participants
representing government and non-government
organisations, academia, research institutions, and
civil society actively participated and provided
valuable inputs while working in thematic work
groups.
Climate change has become the critical global
challenge of our times. The participants also agreed
that this stakeholder workshop takes place at the
right time when many problems are anticipated in
such areas of concern as the freshwater resources,
water-induced hazards, human health and
biodiversity as a result of changing climate
scenarios, which could have wide ranging impacts
on livelihoods and human wellbeing. The priority
action is to initiate sound scientific research and
knowledge sharing mechanisms while identifying
gap areas for future research and proper climate
change adaptation strategies for the region.
6
Nature Protection, National Parks, Biosphere Reserves,
Mountain Heritage
6.1
Pan
Himalayan
Grassroots
Development Foundation has been involved with
holistic mountain development for the past two
decades in the central and western Himalaya of
India. The Foundation promotes various appropriate
technologies to improve the quality of life for
mountain communities in cross-cutting sectors,
such as drinking water, sanitation, renewable
energy, rainwater harvesting and forestry. The
Foundation is also involved in the promotion of
mountain products: it has organized a network of 2
000 women who process some 20 products that are
now available in urban markets and has also
recently exported natural honey and dried
pomegranate to France.
(Contact: Kalyan Paul, Executive Director; E-mail:
kpaul@grassrootsindia.com;
Website:
www.grassrootsindia.com).
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
6.2
Andes Initiative
Partnership
The recent first meeting of the Andes Initiative of
the Mountain Partnership (Tucumán, Argentina, 6-8
September 2007) brought together around 150
members
and
observers
from
countries,
intergovernmental organizations and civil society to
identify common areas of concern and map out
concrete areas for collaboration in the context of the
membership of this Initiative. Hosted by the
Government of Argentina, and organized by the
Argentina National Committee for Mountains, in
collaboration with the Mountain Partnership
Secretariat and the Consortium for Sustainable
Development
of
the
Andean
Ecoregion
(CONDESAN), the three-day meeting featured
informative presentations from representatives of
governments, NGOs and the Mountain Partnership
Secretariat and offered opportunities for discussion
on potential future joint activities in a series of
breakaway sessions. Importantly, the Secretary
General of the Alpine Convention, Marco Onida,
participated in the meeting and expressed the strong
interest of the Convention members to establish a
channel of communication and cooperation with
partners in the Andean region in the context of the
Mountain Partnership.
10
The meeting concluded with the adoption of two
documents -- the Tucumán Declaration and the
Plan of Action for Sustainable Development of the
Andes -- which provide both the political and
operational basis, respectively, for taking the Andes
Initiative forward. The Tucumán Declaration,
signed by governments of most of the Andean
countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru and Venezuela), underlines collective
commitment towards working together within the
framework of the Andes Initiative to improve
conditions in the region’s mountains through specific
priority areas. These include sustainable livelihoods,
the conservation of ecosystems and the preservation
of biodiversity and natural and cultural heritage,
climate change adaptation measures, institutional
strengthening and activities with a focus on
crosscutting issues such as education, training,
gender, youth, networking and local participation.
The Declaration also states that the Andean Initiative
will maintain close links with the ‘Proyecto Páramo
Andino (or ‘Andean Paramo Project). This project,
funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)
and coordinated by CONDESAN, is working to
improve the conservation of páramo ecosystems -wet, high-altitude tropical grasslands -- with equity
to local inhabitants in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and
Venezuela. The meeting’s Plan of Action for
Sustainable Development of the Andes is an
operational document that provides practical steps
and measures in which to achieve the Declaration’s
goals.
Read the Tucumán Declaration and the Plan of
Action for Sustainable Development of the Andes
(both in Spanish) here. For more information on the
Andes Initiative and its members, visit the Web site.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
Partnership
6.3
New UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in
mountain areas
A total of 23 selected regions and protected areas
from 18 countries are to join the global network of
biosphere reserves. The decision was taken in Paris
at the September 2007 conference of the
International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO's
Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB). Some
of the new additions to UNESCO's World Network
include mountain regions such as the reserves of
Western Nghe An in Viet Nam, Sierra de AlamosRío Cuchujaqui in Mexico and ApanecaLlamatepec in El Salvador. The latter, for instance,
promotes sustainable coffee plantations and
cultivation, thereby strengthening an important
regional economic sector. This is in keeping with
the definition of Biosphere Reserves, which see
themselves as model regions which innovate and
demonstrate approaches to conservation and
sustainable development at the regional level. The
network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves now
comprises 529 model regions in 105 countries, 41
of them in alpine countries. For further information,
visit: http://www.unesco.org/mab/ (English and
French).
(Peak to Peak: The Mountain
Newsletter, Nov./Dec. 2007)
Partnership
6.4
Forging partnerships for the Central
Karakorum National Park, Pakistan
Significant progress is now underway to develop
Pakistan’s Central Karakorum National Park
(CKNP), an area of spectacular beauty
encompassing Mount K2 and the Baltoro glacier
(the biggest outside the poles). A project for the
establishment of the Park has recently been
approved, thanks to the commitment of the
Northern Areas Government and the support of the
Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya Partnership,
Karakorum Trust and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
In particular, the HKKH Partnership has organized a
first exercise to explore the future of the area using
Scenario Planning. Several preliminary assessments
have been carried out to develop research and
baseline studies on wildlife, glaciology, biodiversity,
forestry and livelihoods. A series of workshops has
been organized to develop a common management
planning process and build partnerships for research.
The Karakorum International University, where
some events were hosted, is emerging as a key actor
capable of catalyzing long-term research in the
region.
This is just one of the many catalytic activities
underway by the HKKH Partnership Project -- a
regional initiative aimed at improving the
management of the ecosystems of the Hindu KushKarakoram-Himalaya Mountain Complex through
capacity-building,
development
of
new
methodologies and tools, and the implementation
of management oriented research. The HKKH
Partnership Project, which was developed by the
Italian Cooperation in the context of the Mountain
Partnership, is supported by the Italian Cooperation
and implemented by IUCN in partnership with
ICIMOD, CESVI and Ev-K2-CNR. The Project is
active at regional, national and local levels with a
special focus on three protected areas. As well as
work in CKNP, the Partnership is engaged in
activities at Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park
(SNP) in Nepal, and Qomolongma Nature Preserve
(QNP) in Tibet Autonomous Region of China. To
find out more about HKKH activities and
publications, visit the Web site or contact Emanuele
Cuccillato (IUCN), Chief Technical Advisor for
the
HKKH
Partnership
Project,
at:
Emanuele@iucn.org.np.
11
(Peak to Peak: The Mountain
Newsletter, Nov./Dec. 2007)
7
Partnership
Organisations
Mountain Research Initiative (MRI)
The actual Newsletter #9 is available on
http://mri.scnatweb.ch/dmdocuments/MRI_Newslet
ter_no9.pdf
The University of Berne is the new home of the
Mountain Research Initiative (MRI). Thanks to Dr.
Rolf Weingartner, the new chair of our Scientific
Steering Committee, MRI’s coordination office is
now located at the Institute of Geography, GIUB.
One way in which MRI supports researchers
working on global change in mountain regions
worldwide is through facilitating communication
and exchange. MRI asks you to join the regional
networks to find out what others are doing, to
network with new colleagues, or to contribute
information on your activities to the Newsflashes!
New Office Address:
Claudia Drexler
Communication and Event Management
The Mountain Research Initiative
c/o Institute of Geography, University of Berne
Hallerstrasse 12
CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
phone: +41 (0) 31 631 80 18
skype: claudiadrexler
email: drexler@giub.unibe.ch
www: http://www.mri.scnatweb.ch
CIPRA
Die CIPRA ist in sieben Alpenländern vertreten:
Deutschland, Frankreich, Italien, Liechtenstein,
Schweiz, Slowenien und Österreich. In Südtirol
unterhält sie eine regionale Dependance. Die
nichtstaatliche Dachorganisation mit über 100
Mitgliedsorganisationen versteht sich als moderne
Drehscheibe für Informationen. Sie sammelt Daten
und Fakten zu Themen wie Klima, Verkehr,
Berglandwirtschaft, Tourismus, Energie und Bauen,
bereitet sie auf und lässt sie interessierten
Menschen in den Alpen und ausserhalb zukommen.
Alpenschutz von oben, auf Regierungsebene? Oder
von unten, mit Gemeinden und Bevölkerung?
Beides ist wichtig, davon ist die CIPRA überzeugt.
Sie inspiriert und kontrolliert einerseits ein
internationales
Vertragswerk
wie
die
Alpenkonvention, betreibt andererseits kommunale
und regionale Netzwerke. Eine Doppelstrategie
zum Schutz der Alpen, die sich bewährt hat.
3. Alpenreport der CIPRA: Ermutigung zum
Aufbruch
"WIR ALPEN! MENSCHEN GESTALTEN
ZUKUNFT"
Der neue Alpenreport der Internationalen
Alpenschutzkommission CIPRA, "Wir Alpen!
Menschen gestalten Zukunft", zeigt, wie sich
engagierte Macher sowohl für den Schutz als auch
für den wirtschaftlichen, sozialen und kulturellen
Fortschritt der Alpenregion einsetzen. Die
Vernissage fand im Rahmen der Eröffnungsfeier
des Walliser Multimedia-Festivals BergBuchBrig
am 25. Oktober statt.
"Unser Buch zeigt, wie moderne, dynamische und
erfolgreiche Menschen der Alpenregion an ganz
vielen Orten und auf ganz unterschiedliche Weise
einen Aufbruch eingeleitet haben, wie sie
Entvölkerung und Brain Drain entgegenwirken",
erklärt Andreas Götz, Geschäftsführer der CIPRA
International, anlässlich der Vernissage des 3.
Alpenreports an der BergBuchBrig. "Im Buch wird
nicht den Grossprojekten und der Abhängigkeit
vom Staat das Wort geredet, sondern der Kreativität
und der Ermutigung der Zukunftsmacher." Diese
neue, überraschende Perspektive auf die Alpen
widerspiegelte sich auch im musikalischen Rahmen
der Veranstaltung mit Nadja Räss und Willi Valotti
mit
ihrer
innovativen
Interpretation
der
traditionellen Volksmusik.
Die Zukunft gehört denen, die sie mitgestalten. In
den Alpen arbeiten viele engagierte Menschen in
ungezählten Initiativen als Zukunftsmacher. Doch
die meisten von ihnen wissen nicht, dass anderswo
Menschen an den gleichen Problemen tüfteln wie
sie. An dieser Stelle setzt der dritte Alpenreport der
Internationalen Alpenschutzkommission CIPRA an.
Es geht darum, alpenweit Erfahrungswissen zu
sammeln, zu ordnen und jenen zur Verfügung zu
stellen, die dieses Wissen benötigen. Das Buch
basiert auf der aufwändigen CIPRA-Studie
"Zukunft in den Alpen" und zeichnet nicht nur ein
umfassendes Bild der akuten Bedrohungen, sondern
konzentriert sich auf Lösungen.
Im ersten Teil erzählen Reportagen von Menschen,
die sich für Lösungen engagieren. Kreativ,
innovativ und erfolgreich. Etwa das Schweizer
Bergdorf, das per Internet seine Isolation
überwindet. Die glückliche Renaissance einer
Regionalbahn in Italien. Ein idyllisches Tal in
Slowenien, das als privat gemanagtes Schutzgebiet
bewahrt wird. Erfolgreiche Holzbaukünstler, die
Vorarlberg zum Mekka für Architekten aus aller
Welt machen.
12
Der zweite Buchteil zeigt auf wissenschaftlichem
Hintergrund und in leicht verständlicher Sprache:
Die geschilderten Praxisbeispiele sind keine
Einzelfälle. Sie stehen als Trendsetter für
zukunftsweisende Entwicklungen im gesamten
Alpenbogen. Übergeordnete Themen sind: Soziale
Handlungsfähigkeit / Regionale Wirtschaft /
Schutzgebiete: Artenvielfalt und Wertschöpfung /
Mobilität / Stadt-Land-Beziehungen / Partizipation
und Politik / Klimawandel
Der dritte Teil präsentiert die durch Wissenschafter
zusammengetragenen Zahlen und Fakten zu
Themen wie Wirtschaft, Verkehr, Bevölkerungsund
Raumentwicklung
in
aussagekräftigen
Tabellen, Gafiken und Karten.
"Wir Alpen" richtet sich an die Bevölkerung und
die
Besucher
der
Alpenregionen
sowie
Verantwortungsträger und Fachleute in und
ausserhalb der Alpen - kurz, an alle engagierten
Menschen, denen die Zukunft der Alpen ein
Anliegen ist und die sich in ihrer täglichen Arbeit
oder in ihrer Freizeit für eine ökologische und
nachhaltige Entwicklung einsetzen. Das Buch
erscheint auch auf Französisch, Italienisch und
Slowenisch.
Download (Flyer)
http://www.cipra.org/de/3-alpenreport
Weitere Informationen www.cipra.org
Bestellungen international@cipra.org
oder CIPRA International · Im Bretscha 22 ·
Postfach 142 · FL-9494 Schaan
Tel: +423 237 40 30 · Fax: +423 237 40 31
Les Villes des Alpes de l'Année et la Convention
alpiner enforcent leur collaboration
Le 11 janvier, les Villes des Alpes de l'Année et la
Convention alpine ont réaffirmé leur volonté
d'engager une collaboration durable à travers la
stipulation d'un accord (Memorandum of
Understanding). Leurs activités concrètes seront
définies dans le cadre d'un programme de travail
commun.
Le Memorandum of Understanding a été signé à
Brigue-Glis/CH par Marco Onida, Secrétaire
général de la Convention alpine, et Ursula Rütsche,
Conseillère municipale d'Herisau/CH, dans le cadre
de l'Assemblée des membres de l'association Ville
des Alpes de l'Année. "C'est une étape importante
qui va dans le sens d'une amélioration et d'une
intensification de la collaboration entre les Villes
des Alpes et la Convention alpine. Dans les
semaines à venir, nous définirons ensemble des
8
8.1
activités concrètes dans le cadre d'un programme de
travail", a déclaré Marco Onida. Des idées ont déjà
été ébauchées, telles que des manifestations
communes sur le changement climatique et ses
répercussions sur les Villes des Alpes, des échanges
sur les thèmes sociaux et culturels, le problème des
transports et les solutions de mobilité respectueuses
de l'environnement. En outre, les deux partenaires
vont améliorer leurs échanges d'informations et
s'employer à développer une présence commune
face au public. Les activités consacrées par la "Ville
des Alpes de l'Année" à la Convention alpine
bénéficieront du soutien et de l'accompagnement de
l'association et du Secrétariat permanent de la
Convention alpine.
Au mois d'avril 2005, le Secrétariat permanent et
l'association Villes des Alpes de l'Année avaient
déjà signé un accord sur deux ans en vue de
renforcer leur coopération. Cette première initiative
a abouti à l'organisation commune d'un congrès
international intitulé "Villes des Alpes et espaces
protégés proches", qui s'est tenu l'année dernière à
Chambéry (France), et a remporté un vif succès
(plus de 300 participants). Ursula Rütsche a
expliqué ce qui a poussé l'association à s'engager en
faveur du Memorandum: "Les Villes des Alpes
revêtent une importance centrale pour la
Convention alpine. Les deux tiers de la population
alpine vivent dans les villes alpines. Les villes
jouent un rôle décisif dans le développement des
zones rurales environnantes. L'engagement des
Villes des Alpes en faveur du développement
durable de l'arc alpin est indispensable".
Depuis 1997, un jury réunissant la Communauté de
travail Villes des Alpes, la Commission
internationale pour la protection des Alpes CIPRA
et Pro Vita Alpina élit une " Ville des Alpes de
l'Année " qui met en œuvre de manière exemplaire
la Convention alpine à travers des projets concrets
et d'autres activités. Les Villes auxquelles ce prix é
été décerné se sont réunies au sein de l'association
"Ville des Alpes de l'Année".
Pour
télécharger
le
Memorandum
of
Understanding:
http://www.alpenstaedte.org/f/pdf/090108MoU_Co
nvenzioneAlpiCittaAlpine_fr.pdf
Contact: Aurelia Ullrich,
Bureau de l'association Ville des Alpes de l'Année,
Tél. +423 237 40 39,
portable +41 79 651 51 19,
aurelia.ullrich@alpenstaedte.org
Scientific networks and research projects
Mountain Forum
New Executive Secretary of the Mountain Forum
appointed
13
We congratulate Mr. Francis Neuman on his
appointment as the next Executive Secretary of the
Mountain Forum Secretariat. Mr. Neuman, a
Dutch national, brings his wide experience of all
aspects
of knowledge
management
and
information and communication technologies for
development (ICT4D), together with his expertise
in catalyzing and advising on initiatives of
European, African and international networks,
which have engaged civil society organizations,
universities as well as international, regional,
government agencies. Mr. Neuman will take up
his new role at the Mountain Forum Secretariat in
Kathmandu, Nepal by mid-January 2008.
We would like this opportunity to thank Ana
Maria Ponce, outgoing Executive Secretary, for
her commitment and energy in promoting
networking
for
sustainable
mountain
development and her strong collaboration with
the Mountain Partnership Secretariat to deliver
timely and relevant communication services and
products to Mountain Partnership members. We
wish her every success in her new ventures.
(Peak to Peak: The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Nov./Dec. 2007)
FAO
Watershed management
One of the key challenges in attaining the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is
controlling watershed degradation and the negative
impacts of socio-economic change on mountain
ecosystems. Recent initiatives are improving
understanding and approaches to watershed
management. Earlier this year, FAO and
collaborating institutions widely disseminated
findings of their large-scale assessment and global
review of the status and future trends of integrated
and participatory watershed management, which
took place during the 2002-2003 period, through
case studies and the resource book, ‘The new
generation of watershed management programmes
and projects’. This provides a critical summary of the
state-of-the-art of watershed management, and
outlines a new approach based on the principles of
adaptive,
collaborative
and
result-oriented
management. This new approach to watershed
management is now being tested and applied in
several FAO-assisted field programmes, including a
major post-earthquake rehabilitation project in the
mountain areas of Pakistan, a World Bank
programme for strengthening watershed management
in Tajikistan, and a Programme for Integrated
Management of the Fouta Djallon Highlands (West
Africa), supported by the Global Environment
Facility (GEF). Interest in adopting the new approach
has also been expressed by the Mekong River
Commission and by the governments of Ethiopia,
Lesotho and Libya.
To find out more about watershed management
activities, at the field and policy level, please contact
Thomas Hofer, Sustainable Mountain Development
Officer, FAO at: thomas.hofer@fao.org.
The Spanish-language version of the ‘The new
generation of watershed management programmes
and projects’ (‘La nueva generación de programas y
proyectos de gestión de cuencas hidrográficas’) is
now available. Should you wish to order copies,
please
e-mail
Paolo
Ceci,
FAO
at:
paolo.ceci@fao.org.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
Mountain Products
Countries on the northern and southern shores of
the Mediterranean draw on a rich common food
heritage and there is scope to use the region’s
economic, cultural and social networks to promote
high-quality food products. This cooperation is set
to be strengthened at the forthcoming FAO Seminar
on ‘Quality Food Products Linked to Geographical
Origin and Traditions in the Mediterranean’
(Casablanca, Morocco, 8–9 November 2007),
which is being organized by the FAO Mountain
Products Programme, part of the Sustainable
Livelihoods Initiative of the Mountain Partnership,
and the FAO Specific Quality Policies Programme,
in collaboration with the Moroccan Ministry of
Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries. The
meeting will attract representatives of government
and local authorities, civil society, private sector
and development organizations, as well as experts
on quality products from the region, in efforts to
exchange information and knowledge on current
approaches and practices related to quality products
at the institutional and local level. For further
information on the meeting and the FAO Mountain
Products Programme, contact Alexia Baldascini at:
alexia.baldascini@fao.org or visit the Mountain
Products Programme Web site.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
8.3
Wenner-Gren Foundation.
The Institutional Development Grant
Deadline for applications: 1 February 2008
The Wenner-Gren Foundation has two major goals:
to
support
significant
and
innovative
anthropological research into humanity's biological
and cultural origins, development and variation, and
to foster the creation of an international community
of research scholars in anthropology. The WennerGren Foundation has now launched a new funding
programme, the Institutional Development Grant
(IDG). The Grant is intended to strengthen (or to
support the development of) anthropological
doctoral programmes in countries where the
14
discipline is underrepresented. The grant provides
$25,000 per year, is renewable for a maximum of
five years (total support of $125,000), and may be
used for any purpose to achieve the academic
development goals of the applicant department..
The deadline for the mandatory preliminary inquiry
is 1 February 2008.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
8.4
Mountain Studies Institute
Studying risk in the San Juan Mountains
Mountain Studies Institute (MSI), a Mountain
Partnership member, is an NGO that enhances the
understanding and sustainable use of the San Juan
Mountains (Colorado, USA) through research and
education. An on-going project 'Air Quality in the
San Juan Mountain High Country', aims to address
gaps in data and public awareness through a
scientific study of mercury deposition and an
outreach campaign. Data is being collected to
determine the current risk posed by mercury
deposition, establish a baseline with which to
compare future changes, and understand sources of
mercury to aquatic ecosystems. Mercury was
selected as the focus of the scientific study because
of concerns expressed by various stakeholders,
including land managers, watershed groups,
residents, elected officials, and health professionals.
For further information on the project’s progress,
visit the MSI Web site.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
8.5
Monitoring vegetation for climate
change in Everest
Dendrochronology is the dating of past events
(climatic changes) through study of tree ring
growth. For the entire period of a tree's life, a yearby-year record or ring pattern is formed that reflects
the climatic conditions in which the tree grew. This
type of study is being applied in Nepal’s high
Himalaya and Alpine vegetation in hopes to
discover verifiable information on climate change
in the region. Dr. Dinesh Bhuju from Resources
Himalaya Foundation, a Mountain Partnership
member, together with Dr. Marco Carrer from the
University of Padova in Italy, is currently
monitoring permanent plots at Yaren (Pangboche,
alt. 4 050m) and Debuche (Tengboche, alt. 3 850m)
in Everest (Sagarmatha). Cores of the dominant tree
Abies spectabilis have been extracted from both the
plots for dendrochronological study. Scanning of
tree-rings in the collected cores will help calculate
their respective age as well as construct the
environmental history of the site, such as
anthropogenic disturbance, natural calamity and
temperature fluctuation. For further information,
visit the Resources Himalaya Foundation Web site.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
8.6
Using water to power remote Andean
villages
The pioneering work in sustainable energy of
Soluciones Prácticas Peru (ITDG) won second prize
in the ‘Light and Power’ category of the Ashden
Awards.
The Eastern slopes of the Andes in North Peru are
among the least developed parts of the country with
the majority of people living in remote villages with
little or no access to grid electricity. But Soluciones
Prácticas Peru has transformed the lives of
communities through the installation of microhydro plants providing electricity to over 30,000
people. Since 1992, its Renewable Energy
Promotion Fund has been actively promoting micro
hydro-power and has proven the most effective
source of electricity for the region, given the high
rainfall and the extensive network of rivers and
streams. Since the arrival of micro-hydro the area is
thriving: those who had left are returning, bringing
their businesses with them, and others are also
migrating to the area. Some villages have even
doubled in size and for over 60 percent of villagers,
their incomes have increased as a direct result of
micro-hydro power. Crucial to the success of the
project is the involvement of the community. The
villagers themselves contribute towards installation
costs and are responsible for the day-to-day running
of the plants. Now, an increasing number of
villages are approaching Soluciones Prácticas for
installations and it hopes to extend the scheme
eventually to include parts of Bolivia, Ecuador and
Colombia, where lack of access to essential
electricity is a daily reality for many. Read a
summary of this Soluciones Práticas work, and visit
the Soluciones Prácticas Web site here.
The Ashden Awards reward and promote local
sustainable energy solutions in the UK and the
developing world. Visit the Web site for application
details, as well as detailed summaries and
photographs of past winners’ work.
8.7
Mountain Research Initiative Projects
Global change Research Network in African
Mountains (GCRN_AM)
There is now a Newsflash of the African Network
for Global Change Research! Read the November
Newsflash:
http://mri.scnatweb.ch/dmdocuments/gcrnAfrica_N
ov07.pdf
Small Research Grants for African
Scientists
2008 Int. Workshop on Evaluating Climate
Change and Development ·
15
Publications: Forest Management in
Cameroon ·
Fotos Kampala meeting and field-trip
Who is Who: update! or the first edition,
October 2007:
http://mri.scnatweb.ch/dmdocuments/gcrnAfrica_oc
t07.pdf
Grant information
GEO Data portal
Who is Who in African Mountain
Research
EGU Humboldt Conference in 2009
9
The American Cordillera Transect for Global
Change
Research
and
conclusions
of
Euromontana’s completed project on mountain
food products (2002 – 2004), as well as details on
its current research project EuroMARC (European
Mountain Agrofood products, Retailing and
Consumers), which focusses
on assessing
perceptions and expectations from consumers and
various types of retailers. In this launch stage, all
comments and/or contributions would be welcome.
(Peak to Peak: The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Nov./Dec. 2007)
Bibliography, Recent Publications
Jack Ives. Skaftafell in Iceland - A Thousand
Years of Change. Ormstunga, Reykjavik, 2007
Skaftafell has become one of the primary
destinations for the increasing number of visitors to
Iceland as well as for Icelanders. Over the last forty
years, renowned mountain expert Dr. Jack D. Ives
has witnessed the conversion of this isolated and
austerely beautiful landscape into a national park,
together with the transformation of its people and
their ways of life. Because Jack's career has taken
him into many outstanding mountain regions
throughout the world, he came to recognize the
global significance of Skaftafell’s natural and
cultural heritage. This new book evokes the
incomparable people and landscapes of Skaftafell in
words and more than 90 colour and black and white
photographs. (Source: Jack Ives; (Peak to Peak:
The Mountain Partnership Newsletter, Nov./Dec.
2007)
For many years Jack Ives has nursed the idea of
bringing together under one cover an account of his
friendship with Ragnar Stefánsson, an Icelandic
sheep farmer, and his family.
He met Ragnar in 1952 on the first of many visits to
Skaftafell. As an English undergraduate student he
was overwhelmed both by the grandeur and
remoteness of the landscape and, by the culture and
history of the farmers of the area.
It was through his interest in Iceland that he met
Pauline, his wife of more than fifty years and, a
year later, experienced the trauma of losing two of
his closest friends in the ice fields of Öræfajökull.
But with the passage of time and numerous return
visits, another equally important understanding
captured his intellect and emotions.
He witnessed the conversion of a remarkable
isolated and austerely beautiful landscape into a
national park together with the transformation of
the people and their ways of life. Indeed, Skaftafell
has become one of the primary destinations for the
increasing number of visitors to Iceland as well as
for Icelanders. Because Jack's career has taken him
into many outstanding mountain regions throughout
the world, he came to recognize the global
significance of Skaftafell’s natural and cultural
heritage. Therefore, it is not over-presumptuous to
attempt to demonstrate this vital importance.
Sometimes the impressions of a visitor can provide
a useful and complementary perspective to those of
native-born Icelanders.
The book is subdivided into three parts
supplemented by eleven appendices. The first part
attempts to explain Ragnar’s own sense of time and
place and his relationship with his local and wider
region. To do this, it is necessary to go back to
Ingólfur Arnason’s first landfall in AD 874 under
the headland that bears his name, Ingólfshöfði,
which could be seen by Ragnar from his farmhouse.
In working through the centuries, using the
somewhat unconventional approach to assume
perceptions and attitudes of a number of principal
characters, some possibly mythical, others
startlingly real, the author eventually reaches 1952,
the date of his own first arrival. At this point he
moves to the second part.
This is a narrative of the University of Nottingham
student expeditions of 1952–1954, including a
detailed account of the fatal accident of August
1953. It also outlines some of the results of their
research. It is recounted at some length because it
demonstrates how Jack came to be bound to Ragnar
and Skaftafell. It is also an example of the influence
of Iceland and Icelanders on the lives of visitors
from overseas.
The third part is an account of the second half of
Ragnar’s life that is inseparably linked with the
origins and evolution of the Skaftafell National
Park leading to the author's presumption of eventual
World Heritage recognition. He uses his own
extensive experience with UNESCO, the United
16
Nations University, the World Conservation Union
(IUCN), as well as his university teaching and
mountain research career, to illustrate the many
challenges and opportunities that development of
the park entails.
The final section is a collection of eleven
appendices that provide greater detail for those
interested in such topics as seal hunting, jökulhlaup,
glacier movement, mountaineering, the history of
Skaftafell, and aspects of the Nottingham student
expeditions.
All proceeds from the sale of this book are to be
used to establish a research fund for administration
by the Skaftafell National Park.
(http://www.ormstunga.is/english/titles/skaftafelle.htm)
Landscape Development in Mountain Regions.
Proceedings of the ForumAlpinum 2007
Mountain landscapes were the theme of this year’s
ForumAlpinum (Engelberg, Switzerland, 18- 21
April 2007), organized by the International
Scientific Committee on Research in the Alps
(ISCAR). The proceedings have now been
published by the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Press as an online edition. The publication
comprises summaries of all the contributions made
at the Forum’s four plenary sessions on the topics
of ‘Values and Valuation’, ‘Transformation
Processes’, ‘Cooperation and Decision-making in
Landscape Management’ and the ‘Role of
Landscape in a Changing Society’. The proceedings
also feature current European research programmes
and projects, and abstracts of the twenty-nine
displayed posters. Download the Proceedings.
(Source: Thomas Scheurer, Executive Secretary,
International Scientific Committee on Research in
the Alps (ISCAR).
(Peak to Peak: The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Nov./Dec. 2007)
Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention.
First Report on the State of the Alps, ‘Transport
and Mobility’
The Alpine Convention has recently published the
first issue in its new series of publications on the
state of the Alps. The series aims to provide the
public at regular intervals with comprehensive
information on the ecological, economic and social
development of the Alps within the framework of
the Alpine Convention. The current report provides
for the first time an alpine-wide overall view on the
issue of transport and mobility in the member
states, namely Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein,
Switzerland, France, Monaco, Italy and Slovenia.
The publication is already available in English.
Translations into French, German, Italian and
Slovenian will shortly be available.
(Peak to Peak. The Mountain Partnership
Newsletter, Sept./Oct. 2007)
Facilitating Sustainable Mountain Tourism,
Volume 1: Resource Book
http://books.icimod.org/index.php/search/publicatio
n/502
Volume 2: Toolkit
http://books.icimod.org/index.php/search/publicatio
n/503
***
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joerg.stadelbauer@geographie.uni-freiburg.de
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