Guidelines for Planning and Managing Mountain Protected Areas

III. Preservation of mountain biodiversity and physiographic features13. Land use (cultivation, grazing, plant harvesting, hunting, fishing) within protectedlandscapes (Category V) or Resource Management Areas (Category VI) and specifieduse zones of other protected areas should be regulated to ensure that viable and functionalpopulations of wild plants and animals are maintained. Monitoring programmes shouldassess the impact of such activities.14. Conservation of agrobiodiversity, including “heritage” breeds, should be encouragedamong local within-PA or neighbouring land users. Outside the MtPA boundaries,private or communal stewardship lands can provide both wild native-biodiversity buffersand domesticated valued biodiversity.Research and education/interpretation15. International, national and local databanks should be analysed in order to identify rareand endangered species, endemics and geoheritage types and should include biological,physical and ecological inventories.16. Research in mountain PAs should target threats and management needs, includingcollection of information on the ecology of species that have a key role in the structureand function of ecosystems (“keystone” species) and “umbrella” species. Data should becollected and managed to facilitate decision-making, such as planning and monitoring.17. Research on physiographic features, geology, palaeoecology and glaciers provides usefulinformation on the history and functions of the areas and can provide input to managementand educational activities.18. Research on biodiversity and the history, ecology and cultural attractions of the PAshould feed into educational, interpretation and outreach programmes.19. Research should also be focused on aquatic biodiversity and watershed function.20. All- taxa biodiversity surveys can be triggered by “biodiversity blitzes”, assemblingteams of specialist scientists from other agencies or universities, as has been done in GreatSmoky Mountains NP and The Australian Alps NPs.21. Creative use of local, minimally trained para-taxonomists is encouraged, such as has beenso effective in Costa Rica’s INBIO programme.22. Educational programmes should be developed to inform local people, the general populationand decision-makers of the area’s importance for biodiversity, watershed protectionand other ecosystem services. Details of park management, research and conservationneeds should be communicated to local stakeholders, with an explicit emphasis on thelinks between the PA’s biodiversity and local development and culture. Visitor andinterpretation centres can provide an effective focus.17