Udo Schickhoff - Mountain Landscapes in Transition: Effects of Land Use and Climate Change

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Mountains landscapes provide the sustenance of life for humanity in many different ways, with their biodiversity, incredible beauty and culture, and the resources they provide to billions of people. These landscapes are rapidly experiencing change, and we need to pay attention to the signals that mountains provide us. Indeed how humanity manages such changes in landscapes will be an important test of our time, and if we can pass, we know there is hope.

An important first step is to understand the dynamics of the socio-ecological systems in the mountains with our best science. I am pleased that in recent years, much more effort has gone into producing the science needed and that science is well-reflected in this book.

The most striking context of mountains in recent years is rapid change and transformations in mountain societies and ecosystems. We know that mountains are highly vulnerable to climate change, and the chapters in this book document these changes throughout the world. However, there are a variety of change drivers working together that add to the complexity of mountain systems. Outmigration, urbanization, globalization, and connectivity all affect mountain societies. At the same time, utilization and extraction of mountain resources are putting extreme pressure on mountain ecosystems. I am writing during the time of COVID-19, during this short time migration trends have reversed, and the side effects of COVID-19 are adding tremendous additional shocks to mountain systems.

Ultimately, it is up to societies to respond and make changes so that we continue to enjoy the benefits that mountains provide. There are responses needed at the global scale to halt biodiversity loss and slow climate change, and there are responses needed within mountain communities to adapt. In the face of rapid change and sudden shocks, building socio-ecological resilience will be a key. In developing responses, there is a need to understand the potential for mountain landscape conservation and the potential for economic development and to figure out ways in which both conservation goals meet development goals. In order to develop responses at all scales, the book outlines the impacts of climate and other changes on mountain landscapes and people and suggests solutions to move forward.

Mountains play an important role in making connectionsessential in todays world. Mountain landscapes themselves connect different types of ecosystems, and people are intimately connected to nature. To understand mountains, there is a need to connect across disciplines. To develop solutions, there is a need to connect with society and connect science with policy. Mountains provide resources to downstream areas and thus play an important role in connecting upstream and downstream landscapes. Mountain landscapes are often shared between countries and thus can play an important role to connect countries. The value of this book is that it will help us build many bridges to make better mountain connections and rise to the challenge of a changing world.