1. Global Change in Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE)
Thomas Schaaf
UNESCO
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences
Programme on Man and the Biosphere
(MAB)

3. Why mountains?
Have a varied system of different ecosystems and habitats (altitude, exposition, gradient);
Fragile ecosystems (erosion, land degradation);
 excellent indicators for studying and monitoring climate change
temp.
Alpine zone
Temperate zone
Sub-tropical zone
Tropical zone

4. Mountain biosphere reserves as
monitoring sites for global change:
contain protected areas (natural or near-natural environments);
contain areas that are economically used;
most BRs dispose of long-term climatic data and species list;
BRs contain also people  impact of global change on human societies;
Partnership of biosphere reserve managers and scientists.

5. Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE)
Global Change in
Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE)
Setting up a world-wide network of mountain biosphere reserves to study global change;
Bringing together global change researchers and protected area managers;
sponsored by European Commission; MRI; and
UNESCO

6. Objectives:
To understand the causes and impacts of Global Change in mountain regions;
 Focus on the consequences of global change for the biophysical environment and for human societies

8. Mountain biosphere reserves / world heritage sites as study areas
North America:
Canada: Mount Arrowsmith BR (1,817)
USA: Glacier National Park BR (3,185m)
USA: Niwot Ridge BR (3,780m)
USA: Denali BR (6,194m)
Latin America:
Chile: Araucarias BR (3,124m)
Chile: Torres del Paine BR (3,050m)
Colombia: Cinturón Andino BR (5,750m)
Peru: Huascaran BR (6,768m)

9. Africa:
Kenya: Mount Kenya BR (5,199m)
Morocco: Oasis du Sud BR (4,071m)
South Africa : Kruger to Canyons BR (2,050m)
Asia-Pacific:
Australia: Kosciuszko BR (2,228m)
China: Changbaishan BR (2,691m)
India: Nanda Devi BR (7,800m).
Kyrgyzstan: Issyk-Kul BR (7,439m)
Mongolia: Uvs Nuur Basin BR (3,966m)
Russian Federation: Katunsky BR (4,506m);
Sikhote-Alinsky BR (1,600m)

10. Europe:
Austria: Gossenköller See (2,828m)
& Gurgler Kamm BRs (3,400m)
Germany: Berchtesgaden Alps BR (2,713m)
Spain: Sierra Nevada BR (3,482m)
Sweden: Lake Torne BR (1,610m)
Switzerland: Entlebuch BR (2,350m)
Switzerland: Swiss National Park (3,174m)

11. Result: Research strategy worked out for application in the Americas
European Commission
Result:
Research strategy
worked out for
application in
the Americas
Asia-Pacific
Africa
Europe