Executive
Summary
Tropical Montane Cloud
Forests (TMCFs), while globally important for their unique hydrological values
and their high rates of species endemism, are high on the list of the world’s
most threatened ecosystems. An urgent need for readily available, reliable
information on a site by site basis has been identified, in order to provide
the background for raising public and political awareness of the importance
of TMCFs, and promoting their conservation and sustainable use.
Acting on the recommendations
from an International TMCF Symposium held in 1993, WCMC has pioneered the
development of a global TMCF database and completed an initial phase of
data gathering with the results presented in a draft directory. This work
represents an important stage towards a global assessment of the location
and status of TMCFs.
Now that this facility
exists, a substantial phase of further work is required to develop policy
and action on a site by site basis. In order to guide the development of
an integrated programme of work to be carried out in partnership with NGOs
and other groups working on cloud forest issues, this planning and advisory
workshop was organised by WCMC, with the following principle objectives:
- To briefly review
and discuss the results of WCMC’s work to date;
- Identify, and seek
to build links with related initiatives and field projects;
- Identify the priority
activities required to improve the conservation of cloud forests, at both
global and regional levels;
- Detail the actions
required to initiate these activities, including a number of strategic
and integrated funding proposals;
- Establish collaboration
with a number of willing partner organisations and individuals;
- Agree persons/teams
where possible, to be responsible for developing specific activities following
the workshop.
The participants included
invited representatives with a knowledge of cloud forest issues from research
institutions and local NGOs in each of the main tropical regions, who were
joined by a small number of international scientists and representatives
from conservation organisations interested in collaborating with this effort.
The main recommendations
in terms of required activities, were as follows:
- A global TMCF network
to be established and operational within 12 months, with WCMC providing
co-ordination and an initial focal point, to be complemented by the development
of a series of regional working groups.
- WCMC to seek funds
to continue work on a global inventory, by developing the TMCF database,
including information exchange with regional working groups/contact persons,
and making the draft directory available on the Internet for review and
update, before publishing an atlas (book and CD ROM).
- The development
of global cloud forest classification system, to include the preparation
of a proposal for a bryophytes and lichens information centre. Also to
establish cloud forest working group within IUFRO if required, promote
site identification and prioritisation programmes and the development
of standardised monitoring systems and research methodologies, including
a global hydrometeorological network.The production of a popular document
on (with some funding provided by UNESCO) designed to clarify terminology,
highlight the values and services of TMCFs, and the threats faced. This
must be complemented by a series of regionally focused documents, and
a range of campaigning efforts to ensure that cloud forests are included
in national and international conservation agendas.The development of
institutional linkages to strengthen capacity, and production of TMCF
management handbooks for education and training purposes.
A number of priority
activities within each region were also identified. Further details of both
global and regional priorities, including follow-up actions and timescale
where identified, are given in Table 3.
In addition, in order
to present a clear context for the priority activities identified, a workshop
statement was prepared as an overall goal or vision for the conservation
of cloud forests (see below).
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Philip
Bubb
Tropical Montane Cloud Forest Initiative
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
219 Huntingdon Road
Cambridge
CB3 0DL United Kingdom
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Information
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Email:philip.bubb@unep-wcmc.org
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