Mountains are almost like oases of biodiversity, surrounded by lowland regions plagued by increasing rates of wildlife endangerment and extinction. These mountains possess rich varieties of plants and animals, many of which are unique to their landscapes. Flora and fauna that is found in these mountains is often endangered or extinct in the surrounding regions due to human contact and exploitation.

One of the key factors behind the rich biodiversity of mountains is their relative inaccessibility and isolation from other regions of habitation. These factors have actually helped in preserving and protecting animal species in mountains such as deer, eagles and llamas, and plant species such as wild varieties of pumpkin, cardamom, mustard and gooseberry. For example, 200 kinds of indigenous potatoes are known to farmers in the Andes, while Nepalese farmers report at least 2000 different kinds of rice.

Mountains are effective reserves for the future as far as the biodiversity of the world is concerned, especially as more and more lowland areas are turned into high cash yielding fields. These fields provide food to a large proportion of world population, however, they are vulnerable to evolving pests and pathogens. In contrast to this, mountains have rugged terrain and tough climatic conditions that force plants and animals to adapt and become stronger, thereby increasing their ability to resist harmful pests and pathogens.

The wisdom gathered by mountain people over the ages is a vital resource in the process of understanding the true biological wonders of these majestic natural treasures. It is estimated that only about one percent of the tropical plants has been screened for medicinal use. Interestingly, natural medicine extracted from plants growing in mountains has been used by mountain people for several hundred years, and these traditional medicines have even made their way into the commercial market. It is regrettable that considerable importance is not given to the indigenous knowledge of the mountain people, as they are the only ones who can truly claim to understand the workings of that environment.

Mountain Science

As opposed to forests or oceans, mountains do not have a science of their own. Our understanding of mountains is more of a collection of information gathered from various scientific disciplines such as anthropology, biology, economics, meteorology, geology and hydrology. The problem is that often our sources of information are quite disjointed particularly with regard to local knowledge and wisdom, leaving us with pockets of information that do not exactly help us fully understand mountains on our own. The workings of the mountain ecosystems can be well understood by combining the information of all these disciplines together with the local knowledge and forming a science of mountains.

The local people with indigenous knowledge would also facilitate in forming strategies to support sustainable development of their communities. Theoretical knowledge is a valuable commodity, however, practical knowledge, as that possessed by these people, is priceless. An effort needs to be made to end the mental and intellectual isolation of the mountain people so that they can benefit from the knowledge of the world, and in turn, the world can benefit from their knowledge of their natural surroundings. This is essential particularly when there is an increased pressure from the government, international and national development agencies towards the mountainous communities to align them with prevalent development norms, which usually do not include local wisdom and expertise.

One example of this is an emphasis on the use of modern agriculture techniques for getting better yield of crops, which in many instances has proved to be unsustainable as opposed to traditional methods, which have kept the soil fertile for centuries. Moreover, influx of tourism and use of technology rapidly and in an unplanned manner has given rise to severe economic, social and cultural issues for mountain communities besides the loss of biological assets including the loss of flora, fauna, ecosystems and local knowledge. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to not only benefit from whatever is learnt locally but also involve people with indigenous knowledge into decision making for their sustainable future.

Flora in Mountains || Fauna in Mountains || Conservation Efforts