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Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: a Challenge for Conservation

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Tropical Montane Cloud Forests: a Challenge for Conservation BOIS ET FORÊTS DES TROPIQUES, 2002, N° 274 (4) DOSSIER 19 CONSERVATION / CONSERVATION Tropical montane cloud forests: a challenge Silvia Hostettler École polytechnique fédérale for conservation de Lausanne (EPFL) Faculté environnement naturel, architectural et construit Institut du développement territorial NCCR North-South (IP5) BP 2 234, Ecublens CH-1015 Lausanne Switzerland Many challenges need to be overcome to ensure the sustainable management and conservation of cloud forests. However, various successful conservation and sustainable use projects illustrate the potential of a range of approaches to conserve these forests. Furthermore, networks and initiatives promote their conservation. Much hope is placed in the International Year of the Mountain and Rio +10 to conserve the cloud forests that still remain. Photo 2. Henri Pittier National Park, Venezuela. Photo T. Hartmann. BOIS ET FORÊTS DES TROPIQUES, 2002, N° 274 (4) 20 DOSSIER MONTANE FORESTS / CONSERVATION Silvia Hostettler RÉSUMÉ ABSTRACT RESUMEN FORÊTS TROPICALES TROPICAL MONTANE CLOUD BOSQUES NUBLADOS TROPICALES NÉPHÉLIPHILES DE MONTAGNE : FORESTS: A CHALLENGE FOR DE MONTAÑA: UN RETO PARA LA UN DÉFI POUR LA CONSERVATION CONSERVATION CONSERVACIÓN Les forêts tropicales néphéliphiles de Tropical montane cloud forests Se identificaron bosques nublados montagne ont été identifiées sur 736 (TMCF) have been identified in 736 tropicales de montaña en 736 zonas sites, dans 59 pays. Leur importance sites in 59 countries. The important de 59 países. Es sabida la importan- est reconnue pour la survie des popu- role of TMCF in sustaining the liveli- cia que tienen para la supervivencia lations locales, en termes de protec- hoods of local populations by pro- de las poblaciones locales, en cuanto tion des bassins-versants et d’ali- tecting watersheds and sustaining a la protección de las cuencas hidro- mentation en eau. Ces forêts sont unpolluted freshwater sources has gráficas y de alimentación de agua. une source majeure de produits been generally recognised. Cloud Estos bosques constituyen una forestiers non ligneux et un habitat forests are important sources of non- fuente principal de productos foresta- vital pour de nombreuses espèces timber forest products and are an les no leñosos y un hábitat vital para endémiques. Toutefois, depuis vingt essential habitat for many endemic numerosas especies endémicas. No ans, on constate un déclin rapide de and threatened plant and animal obstante, desde hace veinte años se ces forêts. Localement, elles sont gra- species. During the past 20 years, observa una decadencia rápida de vement menacées par le déboise- cloud forests worldwide have been estos bosques. Localmente, están ment et le mitage consécutifs à la disappearing rapidly. They are facing amenazados seriamente por la defo- pression démographique, à l’exploi- considerable localised threats from restación y la parcelación que son tation non viable et aux pratiques de clearance and further fragmentation, consecuencia de la presión demográ- gestion inadaptées. Des pressions as a result of population pressure, fica, la explotación no viable y prácti- externes comme l’extraction minière, unsustainable harvesting and poor cas de manejo inadaptadas. Las pre- la construction de routes, la pollution management practices. External pres- siones externas como la extracción atmosphérique et le réchauffement sures such as mining, road building, minera, la construcción de carreteras, climatique exacerbent ces problèmes. air pollution and global warming fur- la contaminación atmosférica y el La conversion vers d’autres usages ther exacerbate the problem. Con- recalentamiento climático incremen- affecte la qualité des eaux, et peut verting TMCF to other uses almost tan estos problemas. La conversión fortement réduire en aval la disponi- invariably affects water quality, and hacia otros usos afecta la calidad de bilité en eau. La conservation et la may significantly reduce water avail- las aguas y puede reducir mucho la gestion durable de ces forêts se heur- ability further downstream. Sustain- disponibilidad hídrica aguas abajo. tent à la pression démographique, la able management and conservation La conservación y el manejo sosteni- méconnaissance de leur valeur et au of cloud forests faces many chal- ble de estos bosques chocan con la manque de données fiables, d’aides lenges including population pressure, presión demográfica, el desconoci- financières et de volonté politique. poor awareness of their value and the miento de su valor y con la falta de Cependant, le succès de projets lack of reliable information, political datos fiables, ayudas financieras y de conservation et d’exploitation will and donor assistance. However, voluntad política. Sin embargo, el durable illustre la pertinence d’un various successful conservation and éxito de proyectos de conservación y éventail d’approches. Par ailleurs, sustainable use projects illustrate the explotación sostenible ponen de des réseaux et des initiatives à potential of a range of approaches to manifiesto la adecuación de una serie diverses échelles favorisent la cloud forest conservation. Further- de enfoques. Por otra parte, redes e conservation de ces forêts. On espère more, networks and initiatives are iniciativas a distintas escalas favore- que l’année internationale de la mon- promoting cloud forest conservation cen la conservación de estos bos- tagne et le sommet Rio + 10 vont inci- at local, national, regional and global ques. Se ha puesto mucha esperanza ter les bailleurs de fonds, les gouver- levels. Much hope is being placed in en el año internacional de la montaña nements, les entreprises, les ONG et the International Year of the Moun- y la cumbre Río + 10 para concientizar les communautés locales à conserver tain and Rio +10 to raise awareness y motivar a los donantes, gobiernos, les forêts néphéliphiles qui n’ont pas and encourage donors, governments, empresas, ONGs y las comunidades disparu. businesses, NGO’s and local commu- locales a conservar los bosques nities to conserve the cloud forests nublados que aún existen. Mots-clés : forêt tropicale néphéli- that still remain. phile de montagne, eau, diversité bio- Palabras clave: bosque nublado tro- logique, gestion, conservation. Keywords: cloud forest, mountain, pical de montaña, agua, diversidad water, biodiversity, management, biológica, manejo, conservación. conservation. BOIS ET FORÊTS DES TROPIQUES, 2002, N° 274 (4) DOSSIER 21 CONSERVATION / FORÊTS DE MONTAGNE Introduction “Hach Akyum, dios de todos los dioses, creó el cielo y la selva. En el cielo sembró estrellas y en la selva sembró árboles, The important role of tropical son una sola las raíces de los árboles y las raíces de las estrellas… montane cloud forests (TMCF) in sus- Por eso, cuando cae un árbol cae una estrella.” taining the livelihoods of local popula- Chan K’in viejo (1900-1996), traditional leader of the Hach Winik, Chiapas, Mexico. tions by protecting watersheds and sustaining unpolluted freshwater sources has been generally recog- Defining cloud nised. Whilst all mountain forests help regulate the flow of rivers from their forests headwaters, cloud forests are unique as they intercept wind-driven cloud TMCFs have been disappearing Cloud forests typically occur moisture on leaves, branches and epi- rapidly in recent decades because the between 1 500 m and 3 000 m above phytes, which then drips to the use of forest resources is increasingly sea level, usually within an altitude ground. This “cloud stripping” phe- driven by the immediate benefits to range of about 300 m. Cloud forests nomenon is generally equivalent to be derived from them. The growing have been broadly defined as “forests 15-20 percent of ordinary rainfall, but interest in tropical montane cloud that are frequently covered in cloud can reach 50-60 percent in more forests today is largely due to the or mist” (Hamilton, 1995) (photo 1). exposed conditions. Tropical montane untiring efforts of Professor Lawrence However, the definition of cloud cloud forests are known in many lan- S. Hamilton, Vice Chair of the World forests is controversial, as it is diffi- guages as unique vegetation systems Commission on Protected Areas for cult to make a useful distinction through names such as cloud forests, Mountains of IUCN – The World between true “cloud forest” and more mist forests, elfin forests, moss Conservation Union. Prof. Hamilton general montane rain forest. The forests, Nebelwald, forêt néphéliphile, has stressed the hydrological and main reasons are the scarcity of accu- matinha nebular, unmu-rin and many ecological importance of cloud rate data on the duration of cloud others. In Africa, cloud forests form forests for many years. This paper cover and the actual inputs of mois- part of the Afromontane forest type, explains the role of cloud forests in ture from interception of horizontal although the term “cloud forest” is watershed management and the con- cloud precipitation, and the tendency rarely used. In the Gulf of Aden, low- servation of biological diversity. It dis- to use the term “cloud forest” to elevation cloud forest is described as cusses some of the socio-economic describe any montane forests that are mist forest. In South East Asia, cloud issues at stake in cloud forest man- sometimes observed to have cloud forests are commonly equivalent to agement. A few examples of cloud cover. the term “upper montane rain forest”, forest conservation and sustainable During the first international although in Malaysia and the use projects
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