Mountains​—Why We Need Them

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”​—JOHN MUIR, AMERICAN WRITER AND NATURALIST.

AS John Muir discovered over a century ago, mountains have the power to move us. Their majesty impresses us, their wildlife enthralls us, and their peace relaxes us. Millions visit the mountains every year to enjoy the scenery and to uplift their spirits. “Mountains have been a source of wonder and inspiration for human societies and cultures since time immemorial,” notes Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme.

But all is not well in the mountains. For generations their remoteness has largely protected them from excessive human exploitation. Now, however, they are under threat. “Some of these last wild areas are fast disappearing in the face of agriculture, infrastructure development and other creeping impacts,” explains a recent United Nations press release.

Mountain environments cover a large portion of the world’s land surface. Half the population of the world depends on their resources. And the mountains are also home to millions of people. Mountains are much more than breathtaking backdrops to a peaceful pastoral setting. Let us consider some of the contributions they make to the welfare of humankind.

Why the Mountains Matter

◼ WATER STORAGE. The mountains are the source of our largest rivers as well as the water for most of our water reservoirs. In North America the mighty Colorado River and the Rio Grande derive practically all their water from the Rocky Mountains. About half the population of the world lives in southern and eastern Asia. And most of these people depend on precipitation that falls on the huge mountain chains of the Himalaya-Karakoram-Pamirs-Tibet regions.

“Mountains, the water towers of the world, are vital to all life on earth and to the well-being of people everywhere,” explains Toepfer, adding: “What happens on the highest mountain peak affects life in the lowlands, in freshwaters and even in the seas.” In many lands, mountains conserve winter snow, slowly releasing its vital moisture during the spring and summer. In arid parts of the world, irrigation often depends on water provided by melting snows in faraway mountains. Many mountains have forested slopes that absorb the rain like a sponge, allowing it to run downhill gently to the rivers, rather than cause devastating floods.

◼ WILDLIFE HABITATS AND BIODIVERSITY. The remoteness of mountainous regions, together with their limited agricultural potential, has meant less human encroachment. As a result, mountains have become a sanctuary for fauna and flora that may have already disappeared in the lowlands. For example, Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia, a mountainous area smaller than New York City, is home to 4,500 species of plants​—more than a quarter of the number of plant species found in the entire United States. The giant pandas of China, the condors of the Andes, and the snow leopards of central Asia all depend on mountain habitats, as do countless other species threatened with extinction.

According to National Geographic magazine, some ecologists have calculated that “over a third of known land plants and vertebrates are confined to less than 2 percent of the planet.” Large numbers of species are clustered in rich, unspoiled areas that scientists call biological hot spots. These hot spots​—many of which are mountainous areas—​contain biodiversity from which we have all benefited. Some of the most important food crops in the world come from wild plants that still grow in the mountains​—corn in the highlands of Mexico, potatoes and tomatoes in the Peruvian Andes, and wheat in the Caucasus, to mention just a few.

◼ RECREATION AND BEAUTY. Mountains also conserve natural beauty. They boast impressive waterfalls, beautiful lakes, and much of the world’s most dramatic scenery. Not surprisingly, a third of all the world’s protected areas are found in mountainous regions. And they have become a favorite destination for tourists.

Even remote national parks receive millions of visitors from all over the world. People travel across the planet to Denali National Park in Alaska to see Mount McKinley, North America’s highest mountain. Many visit the Great Rift Valley to marvel at imposing Mounts Kilimanjaro and Meru or to observe the vast herds of wild animals that reside between these two majestic peaks. Many mountain communities benefit from this influx of tourists, although uncontrolled tourism can threaten the fragile ecosystems.

Knowledge Stored in the Mountains

Over the centuries, the people who live in the mountains have learned how to prosper in a harsh environment. Mountain people have carved out terraces that still support viable agriculture after two millenniums. They have domesticated local animals, such as the llama and the yak, which can cope with the rigors of high altitudes. And the traditional knowledge accumulated by mountain inhabitants may prove invaluable for protecting the mountains on which we all depend.

“Indigenous peoples are the sole guardians of vast, little-disturbed habitats in remote parts of every continent,” explains Alan Thein Durning of the Worldwatch Institute. “They possess a body of ecological knowledge . . . that rivals the libraries of modern science.” This storehouse of knowledge needs just as much protection as do other mountain assets.

The United Nations Environment Programme sponsored the International Year of Mountains 2002. To emphasize mankind’s dependence on the mountains, organizers coined the phrase “We Are All Mountain People.” They aimed to increase awareness of the problems facing the world’s mountains and seek solutions to protect them.

This concern certainly is a valid one. “Far too frequently, mountains are seen as providers of abundant natural resources, with insufficient attention paid to the plight of their inhabitants as well as the sustainability of their ecosystems,” stated a keynote speaker at the 2002 Bishkek Global Mountain Summit, organized in Kyrgyzstan.

What are some of the problems facing the mountains of the world and the people who dwell there? How do these problems affect all of us?

Mountains Under Threat

“Everyone has a stake in ensuring that the world’s mountain regions continue to provide their riches for many generations to come.”​—KOFI ANNAN, UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL.

MAJESTY, stability, and strength come to mind when you think of mountains. What could threaten these giants of nature? Some may find it hard to believe that earth’s mountains could be in danger. The reality, though, is that our mountains are under threat. Conservationists cite several specific problems that undermine the bulwarks of the mountains’ ecosystems. All are serious, and they are getting worse. Consider some of the problems threatening mountains.

◼ DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. About 25 percent of the world’s mountainous regions are under threat from roads, mining, pipelines, dams, and other development projects planned for the next 30 years. The construction of roads can cause erosion on steep slopes, and the roads provide access for loggers, who may do much more damage. Mining operations extract some ten thousand million tons of ore every year, much of it from mountains, and produce an even greater amount of waste.a

◼ GLOBAL WARMING. “The nine warmest years on record have occurred since 1990,” notes the Worldwatch Institute. And mountain habitats are particularly affected. Glaciers have been melting, and snowcaps are receding​—a process that, according to some scientists, will affect water reserves and provoke serious landslides. Dozens of glacial lakes in the Himalayas now threaten to burst their natural barriers and cause catastrophic floods, a phenomenon that has already occurred repeatedly in the last few decades.

◼ SUBSISTENCE FARMING. Population pressure is driving people to farm unproductive areas. According to one study, almost half of Africa’s mountainous regions are now used for cultivation or livestock​—10 percent for crops and 34 percent for grazing. Often this farming brings only marginal benefits, since these highlands are not ideal for growing crops.b And overgrazing by cattle easily destroys the fragile vegetation. A recent study indicates that only 3 percent of all mountain land is ideal for sustainable agriculture.

◼ WAR. The upsurge in civil wars has devastated many mountain environments. Insurgents use mountain sanctuaries as the base of their operations. A United Nations report calculates that 67 percent of Africa’s mountainous regions have been affected by “violent human conflict.” Furthermore, some highlands have become centers of narcotic production, which often leads to armed conflicts as well as degradation of the environment.

Is More Action Needed?

The consequences of man’s assault on the mountains are already being felt. Floods, landslides, and water shortages are just some of the signs that all is not well. Governments have begun to take notice. Forests are being replanted, and logging is banned in some areas. National parks have been created to safeguard the most spectacular scenery and the most endangered wildlife habitats.

Even protected areas, however, suffer from environmental pressure. (See the box “Some Strongholds of Nature.”) The accelerating rate at which species are becoming extinct is a sign that the battle to protect the mountain strongholds is not being won. Experts know the problems, but wholesale action to preserve unspoiled wilderness has not been forthcoming. “I feel encouraged by our scientific knowledge,” says renowned biologist E. O. Wilson, “and discouraged by the destruction of the principal reservoirs of biodiversity.”

Does the loss of biodiversity really matter so much? According to many biologists, humankind benefits greatly from the conservation of earth’s biodiversity. As an example, they point to the rosy periwinkle from the highlands of Madagascar, an area with a rich store of biodiversity. This plant has provided an important drug in the fight against leukemia. In addition, for many decades the cinchona tree, a native of the Andes Mountains, has been the source of quinine and other medications used to treat malaria. Many other plants that grow in mountainous regions have helped save the lives of millions. Granted, some of these mountain plants are successfully cultivated in nonmountainous areas. However, the concern is that in the large-scale destruction of mountain vegetation, man may inadvertently lose undiscovered resources with potential medical and nutritional value.

Can the current destructive forces somehow be stemmed? Can the damage be undone? Will the mountains continue to be bastions of beauty and biodiversity?

[Footnotes]

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Fauna of the Heights

The mountain lion, also known as the puma, is found principally in the mountains, as its name suggests​—mainly the Rockies and the Andes. Like many large predators, it has gradually retreated to more inaccessible areas because of threats posed by man.

The red panda lives exclusively in the Himalayan mountain chain (even on the lower slopes of Mount Everest). Despite its remote habitat, however, the red panda is struggling to survive because of destruction of the bamboo forests on which it feeds.

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Cortesía del Zoo de la Casa de Campo, Madrid

The brown bear once roamed across most of Europe, Asia, and North America. In Europe it is now restricted to a few isolated mountainous areas, although it is more common in the Canadian Rockies, Alaska, and Siberia. Its numbers in the United States have been reduced by 99 percent during the past century.

The golden eagle is the lord of the mountain skies throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere. Sadly, in Europe its numbers have been reduced to fewer than 5,000 pairs as a result of its former status as ‘a hated bird.’

The giant panda’s “very existence depends on three essentials,” notes Chinese naturalist Tang Xiyang. These are “high mountains and deep valleys, thick bamboo forests, and rippling streams.” According to one estimate, fewer than 1,600 pandas survive in the wild.

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Some Strongholds of Nature

Yosemite National Park (California, U.S.A.) was founded in 1890, thanks to the untiring work of naturalist John Muir. Its impressive scenery attracts four million visitors every year. Park authorities, however, struggle to find a balance between protecting the wilderness and providing facilities for nature lovers.

Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador) preserves a region of Andean cloud forest that harbors a huge variety of fauna and flora​—over 600 different birds and some 4,000 species of plants. Quinine, a drug that has saved countless human lives, was discovered in this area. Like many parks, it suffers from uncontrolled logging and poaching.

Mount Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) is one of the world’s largest volcanoes and is the highest mountain in Africa. Elephants graze on the lower slopes, while unique flora, such as the giant lobelia and the giant groundsel, inhabit the alpine zone. Illegal hunting, deforestation, and grazing by domestic cattle are the main threats.

Teide National Park (Canary Islands) protects unique flora that enlivens the stark volcanic scenery. Mountainous volcanic islands invariably have fragile ecosystems, susceptible to introduced species.

The Pyrenees and Ordesa national parks (France and Spain) conserve majestic alpine scenery along with its flora and fauna. Like other mountain chains in Europe, the Pyrenees suffer from a proliferation of ski slopes and other tourist amenities. The abandonment of traditional agriculture has also had a negative impact on the environment.

Sǒraksan National Park is the most popular park in the Republic of Korea. Its spectacular granite peaks and forested slopes take on a special beauty during the autumn. But its popularity means that on weekends some trails are as busy as city sidewalks.

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Mountain Flora

Tower of jewels. During a few weeks in the spring, this magnificent flower grows to the height of a man. It can be found at an altitude of about 6,000 feet [1,800 m] on just two volcanic peaks in the Canary Islands. Many mountain species have a similar restricted range.

Carline thistles grow in the Alps and the Pyrenees. Their sunny appearance brightens up the high meadows in late summer, and the blooms provide a feast for insects.

English iris. Hybrids of this attractive wildflower are grown as garden plants. Many garden flowers originally came from alpine flora.

The mountain houseleek is one of many alpine plants that cling to fissures in the rocks. A species native to the mountains of southern Europe, it is also called live-forever because of its tenacity and durability.

Bromeliads. Many types of bromeliads and orchids thrive in the cloud forests of the Tropics. They grow at elevations of up to 14,500 feet [4,500 m].

The Algerian iris grows in the Er Rif and Atlas mountains of northern Africa, an area designated as a hot spot of Mediterranean flora.

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Mining for copper and gold near the Maoke Mountains, Indonesia

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© Rob Huibers/Panos Pictures

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Rosy periwinkle

Mountains​—Who Will Save Them?

FOR four days in 2002, Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan (central Asia) hosted the Global Mountain Summit. It was the first international meeting dedicated to mountain issues. The sponsors hoped that 2002 would mark “the beginning of a new era, one that recognizes the true value of mountains.”

The summit unanimously adopted the “Bishkek Mountain Platform,” containing guidelines for everyone concerned with mountain conservation. Its stated goal was to “improve the livelihoods of mountain people, to protect mountain ecosystems and to use mountain resources more wisely.”

Some progress has been made. A worldwide network of national parks protects areas of outstanding beauty and biodiversity. In many parts of the globe, conservation groups have had some success in holding back the tide of environmental devastation. One initiative stemming from the Mountain Summit in Bishkek was a firm commitment to clean up nuclear waste dumped in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. This highly toxic material threatened the water supply of 20 percent of the people in central Asia.

Still, the difficulties involved in protecting the world’s mountains remain formidable. For example, in 1995, Canadian authorities introduced a “Forest Practices Code” to protect the remaining rain forest of British Columbia. Yet, a subsequent investigation revealed that logging companies generally disregarded the code and continued to clear-cut the trees of even the steepest slopes. The code was relaxed in 1997, since the timber industry claimed it was too burdensome.

Commercial interests are not the only obstacle. The final declaration of the Bishkek Summit recognized that war, poverty, and hunger all contribute to the implacable erosion of mountain ecosystems. The mountains, along with the rest of the planet, will keep on suffering until all these underlying causes of habitat destruction come to an end.

God’s Concern for His Creation

Despite this depressing picture, we have reason for optimism. Almighty God is not oblivious to what happens to his creation. The Bible describes him as the One “to whom the peaks of the mountains belong.” (Psalm 95:4) He also cares about the fauna of the mountains. According to Psalm 50:10, 11, Jehovah says: “To me belongs every wild animal of the forest, the beasts upon a thousand mountains. I well know every winged creature of the mountains, and the animal throngs of the open field are with me.”

Does God have a way to save the world’s beleaguered environment? Yes, he does! The Bible says that he has “set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin.” (Daniel 2:44) Jesus Christ, the appointed Ruler of this heavenly government, has a special interest in the earth and the people who live on it. (Proverbs 8:31) His rule will establish peace on the earth, will end all exploitation, and will repair the damage that has been done to the planet.​—Revelation 11:18.

If you long for such a solution, you will doubtless continue to pray that ‘God’s kingdom come.’ (Matthew 6:9, 10) Such prayers will not go unanswered. God’s Kingdom will soon bring an end to injustice and correct the damage to the planet. When this happens, figuratively the very mountains will “cry out joyfully.”​—Psalm 98:8.