Mountain Area Research and Management

This book brings together scientists and practitioners from six continents to present their experience in undertaking activities that contribute to our understanding and informed management of mountain areas. In particular, they address the challenges of working in interdisciplinary teams and of effectively involving stakeholders. A comprehensive introduction covers the challenges in mountain area research and management and the need for integrated approaches. This is followed by chapters that look at key areas of mountain research and management over the past 25 years, covering inter- and trans-disciplinary research, subsistence cultures and sustainable development, innovations in watershed management and biodiversity conservation. Subsequent chapters cover key areas of research and management, presenting interdisciplinary case studies from Australia, Canada, the US, Sweden, India, Colombia and Tanzania with a focus on comparison of common challenges and solutions across regions. The concluding chapter brings these experiences together. The result is a powerful book that integrates research from different disciplines in the natural and social sciences, and in some cases indigenous knowledge, to address the question of how knowledge is gained about mountain areas and how can it be integrated and used in effective management. This volume provides an indispensable tool kit for all researchers and professionals undertaking research and management in mountain and other environments, including local and regional authorities, planners, park and protected area managers, tourism operators, and communities involved in resource extraction, watershed management, agriculture and forestry.