Welcome

• Mountain regions cover 20% of the Earth's land surface.
• They are an important source of water, energy and biological diversity.
• They provide key resources such as minerals, forest and agricultural products and recreation.
• They are essential to the global ecosystem.

The ecosystems of mountain regions are changing rapidly around the globe. They are subject to soil erosion, habitat and species loss. These threats are recognised by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development which draws attention to the problems of mountain regions and their development.

British Columbia is part of the great North American Cordillera, one of the world's great mountain systems. Most of the province is mountainous based on  criteria of elevation, elevation range and slope. British Columbia's mountain forests represent almost 5% of the world's coniferous mountain forests and approximately 20% of the world's temperate and boreal coniferous mountain forests.

Although economically exploited for over a century, much of British Columbia's forest cover remains in a natural state, particularly at the higher elevations. British Columbia's forest managers and scientists are working to develop management methods that permit extraction of timber while protecting animal and plant habitat, water supplies, and other forest services.

We encourage you to explore this site. If you have information on Mountain Forests that you would like to contribute, please contact us directly.

Alan Vyse
Thompson Rivers University
vyse@telus.net