Mountain Research and Development

Discover top and trending #EnvironmentalScience research, featuring articles from the Journal of Vector Ecology @4sove.bsky.social, Mountain Research and Development @mrdjournal.bsky.social, and Northwest Science @nwscience.bsky.social.

Free to read through March 31: bio-one.co/4jTWRiK

This ski lift and the adjacent piste in Vall de Núria, photographed in summer, each cut through the mountain forest, influencing ecosystem connectivity. They exemplify the complex interactions between human activity and nature in ski and mountain resorts. Photo by Joan Rabassa-Juvanteny.

In a new study in the Catalan Pyrenees, Joan Rabassa-Juvanteny and Bernat Claramunt-López show how accounting for #naturalcapital in mountain resorts can strengthen sustainability, resilience, and responsible tourism management under climate change: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....
@creaf.cat @uab.cat

Herders graze sheep and goats on an alpine pasture in the Eastern Hindu Kush. Vegetation is fairly sparse, and a ravine and a steep mountainside are visible in the background. Photo by Zahir Ahmad

... and if you're particularly interested in #mountain pastoralism and rangelands, see here for a list of all MRD articles on that topic, including the ones from our 2021 focus issue on "Pastoralism and Rangelands in Mountains":
t.ly/RLoW7

Photo by Zahir Ahmad

Thanks to @bioone.bsky.social for showcasing our article on #pastoralism in Ladakh’s Changthang region!

Arif Pandit and coauthors show how strategies that regulate grazing while respecting pastoralists' stewardship can help sustain this ancient culture.

Read this and more articles on #rangelands 👇🏽

Traffic stops on the National Highway in Kinnaur, Western Himalaya, as a landslide happening around the bend fills the air with dust. The Highway is carved into a very steep, rocky slope. Four vehicles are standing still, a few people are standing outside of them, waiting. Photo © Aghaghia Rahimzadeh

“Poorly planned tourism and infrastructure development heighten climate risks in Kinnaur, Western Himalaya. Locally led, equitable, and culturally and ecologically grounded sustainable approaches are needed,” says Aghaghia Rahimzadeh. Read her ethnographic study: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Congratulations to M. Pütz, A. Schindelegger, C. Meyer, and H. Job on making it to BioOne's Top & Trending collection!👇🏻

Their article discusses the role of spatial planning in energy transitions in the European Alps, based on debates in 🇦🇹, 🇩🇪, and 🇨🇭, and proposes a development and policy agenda.

A wooden cross with a bench and a small wooden shrine with a statue of the Virgin Mary mark Niederl, a mountain pass on the Stubaier Höhenweg trail in the Austrian Alps. It leads across a fairly steep, rocky and partly grassy ridge with a rocky summit next to it. Another, parallel mountain range is visible in the background. Hot summer temperatures could make hiking here more taxing. Photo by Laura Barraclough.

How do summer tourists experience forest ecosystem services under climate change? Laura Barraclough and Katharina Pöll examined this in Austria’s Stubai valley. They provide insights that can guide management of ecosystem services and tourist offerings. Read their article: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Saleinaz Mountain Hut in the Swiss Alps is perched high above a steep slope, facing the cliffs and glaciers of Mont Dolent. The hut is small and built of stone, with a metal roof and two wooden extensions attached. Next to it is a small terrace with two tables and a few chairs. Photo by Jean Miczka.

A new article by Jean Miczka and colleagues analyzes how mountain huts in the western European Alps are being adapted to climate change, what the challenges are, and how adaptation could be improved. Recommendations include ensuring long-term coordination. Find out more: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

The Bow Falls area of Banff National Park reflects the intersection of climate change, tourism, and guiding practice. As landscapes shift and visitor pressures evolve, guides and institutions face complex questions of adaptation, resilience, and policy response in Canada’s most visited mountain destinations. The photo by Katherine Hanly shows a vast glaciated and snow-covered landscape in the background, with a waterfall running into a turquoise lake enclosed by rocky cliffs, from which another waterfall runs into a partly forested valley below.

Mountain guides in the Canadian Rockies face growing climate risks. Katherine Hanly and Graham McDowell show that their adaptive capacity is shaped by social factors and institutional barriers. They point to ways of strengthening guides’ resilience and livelihoods. Read more: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Cover page of Mountain Research and Development, Volume 45, Number 4. The cover photo by Dipak Raj Rai shows countless pieces of chhurpi—a hard cheese made from yak buttermilk—stored on overhead racks in a dark room with an earthen floor, stone walls, and a black wooden ceiling. The room also contains a wooden chair, baskets, and various other utensils. The chhurpi was produced by a private dairy in Gatlang, Nepal. While the state-supported marketization of yak products has boosted some households’ income, it is simultaneously eroding traditional sustainable herding practices and causing environmental degradation, as shown in the article by Indra Mani Rai and colleagues in this issue.

Another issue is complete! Articles examine changes in yak herding in Nepal, challenges in implementing science–society interaction policies in mountain biosphere reserves worldwide, and topography’s role in socioeconomic development in the European Alps. Read the issue: bioone.org/toc/mred/45/4

University students engage in a landscape assessment during a field excursion in the Dedoplistskaro Biosphere Reserve, Georgia, guided by a local ranger. They are standing in a circle in a green meadow on a gently sloping ridge, listening to the ranger’s explanations. A wide and flat valley stretches out in the background, lined by another green mountain ridge on its far side. Photo by Alexander Mitrofanenko.

In a study of science–society interactions in 18 mountain biosphere reserves across 4 continents, A. Mitrofanenko and coauthors find that the reserves hold great potential to link science and society in advancing sustainability—but tapping it requires consistent support. doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Where relief is dominant: Switzerland’s Lauterbrunnen is an example of a settlement in a topographically challenging environment. The summer scene photographed by Markus Lambracht shows part of the village, including its church, and the vertical cliffs, hundreds of meters high, towering over the narrow valley on both sides. The snowy peaks of the high alps are visible above the cliffs.

A new article by M. Lambracht and T. Chilla of @fau.de examines the interplay between topography and socioeconomic factors in the European Alps. It shows that development in mountain regions is never determined by topography alone; other factors are also key. Get the details: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Cover of the book entitled Anima: A Wild Pastoral, written by Kapka Kassabova. It shows a photo of a herd of sheep in steep mountain terrain against a background of mountains and valleys fading into the distance.

“This book is an ethnographic delight,” writes Peter Phillimore in his review of “Anima: A Wild Pastoral” by Kapka Kassabova. The book describes the lives of transhumant pastoralists and their animals in Bulgaria’s Pirin mountains. Read the review: doi.org/10.1659/mrd.... @jonathancape.bsky.social

A sunlit brook at the center of Mount Mabu forest, the largest rainforest in Southern Africa, with mossy rocks emerging from the water and lush trees and ferns surrounding it. Photo by Julian Bayliss.

In a new article, the #Afromontane Research Unit, University of the Free State, South Africa, presents the #Mozambique Mountain Initiative, a collaborative platform that brings together practitioners involved in the sustainable management of Mozambique’s mountain ecosystems: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Innovative adaptive practices in mountain communities often emerge from local resource constraints and community needs, as highlighted by Zhou and He in their contribution to this issue. In Guangming village, Yunnan, China, farmer cooperatives have succeeded in enhancing creation of value added in the local walnut trade by establishing processing facilities, such as this drying facility, in the village. The photo by Weijia Zhou shows a man shoveling walnuts in the drying room. The nuts lie in heaps on an aerated wire mesh floor resting on evenly spaced-out wooden beams; some nuts are packed in mesh bags. The room has light gray walls and a ceiling made of wooden beams.

2/2 In their guest editorial, Jörg Balsiger, Anne B. Zimmermann, João C. Azevedo, and Dietrich Schmidt-Vogt not only present the issue’s articles but also reflect on different framings of innovation and propose considering it as a multidimensional, context-specific concept: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

Cover of Mountain Research and Development Vol 45, No 3, with a photo by Gusztáv Nemes showing a henhouse made of mud, wood, straw, and stones to keep the animals cool, warm, and safe. It is fitted with a solar-panel-driven door that closes automatically at sunset to keep foxes out. This is an example of hybrid innovation—merging old and new technology—found in a mountain product value chain in Hungary that was among the many mountain product value chains analyzed in one of the articles in the issue.

1/2 How can innovation contribute to sustainability in mountains? Articles in this focus issue explore the question from different angles, providing insights from China and various European mountain contexts and showcasing the diversity of the concept. Have a look: bioone.org/toc/mred/45/3

View of Valle d’Aosta from Bard Fortress. Photo by Dario Musolino. The flat valley floor with green fields, some trees, and small towns has a powerline, a highway, the river Dora Baltea, and a road running along it. It is nested between steep mountains consisting partly of forested slopes and partly of bare cliffs and rock faces. The stone roof of the fortress is visible in the foreground.

Does a circular economy lend itself as a sustainable way forward for high mountain regions? In a Delphi survey among stakeholders in Valle d’Aosta, Italy, Domenico Tassone and Dario Musolino found it would—but transitioning requires cultural change and targeted policies: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....

A snowy, sunny winter scenery, with the upper station of a ski lift and some skiers the foreground and several hills with numerous wind turbines in the background. These are the wind farms of Pretul, Steinriegel, and Hochpürtschling in Styria, Austria. A total of 48 wind turbines produce 115 MW, providing approximately 75,000 households with electricity. © Schindelegger 2020

How can Alpine regions transition to renewables while preserving landscapes and open spaces? Marco Pütz and colleagues discuss the role of spatial planning and propose an agenda for future development and governance: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....
@wslresearch.bsky.social @bokuvienna.bsky.social

Social media card with a background photo of snow-covered mountains towering over a landscape of rocks, grass, and fir trees, taken by Susanne Wymann von Dach, and the following text: “Mountain Research and Development is looking for Topic Editors to join the editorial team! Apply now and help shape knowledge for sustainable mountain futures!” At the bottom right is the journal’s logo showing the upper left corner of a tilted stack of three papers, resembling a mountain range, and the text “Mountain Research and Development.”

ICYMI: We are looking for topic editors to join the team!
Help shape knowledge for sustainable mountain futures and be part of a unique, not-for-profit, community-supported scientific journal aiming for societal impact!

Find out more and apply by 24 Oct: t.ly/PAzBF

#AcademicSky #MountainsMatter

Social media card with a background photo of snow-covered mountains towering over a landscape of rocks, grass, and fir trees, taken by Susanne Wymann von Dach, and the following text: “Mountain Research and Development is looking for Topic Editors to join the editorial team! Apply now and help shape knowledge for sustainable mountain futures!” At the bottom right is the journal’s logo showing the upper left corner of a tilted stack of three papers, resembling a mountain range, and the text “Mountain Research and Development.”

We are looking for topic editors to join the team!

Help shape knowledge for sustainable mountain futures and be part of a unique, not-for-profit, community-supported scientific journal aiming for societal impact!

Find out more and apply by 24 Oct: t.ly/PAzBF

#AcademicSky #MountainsMatter

There is certainly some truth in that. At the same time, in a country where many people are poor, strengthening the economy is an important concern. The question is how you do it. This study shows that policies to promote the economy should build on and integrate existing sustainable practices.

A herder takes chauri (female yaks) up a dirt road to the designated pasture for day herding in the village of Gatlang. Photo by Dipak Raj Rai

Market-driven yak herding in Gatlang, Nepal, is threatening traditional sustainable grazing practices. Policies must recognize and integrate these traditional practices to sustain mountain ecosystems. Read the article by Indra Mani Rai and coauthors: doi.org/10.1659/mrd....
#MountainsMatter

The PRIMA project (2022–2023) included MRD Talks—online discussions between researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and businesspeople from mountain regions around the world on topics addressed in MRD articles. Read the summaries and watch the recordings: t.ly/woo_t

#MountainsMatter

Ansgar Fellendorf of UNEP presenting the PRIMA project.

This morning’s #IMC25 session on bridging science, policy, business, and practice for sustainable solutions in mountains was great for exchanging experiences and insights, including from the @unep.org/MRD/@cdeunibe.bsky.social project PRIMA. Thanks to all participants!
#SciencePolicy #ResearchImpact

MRD associate editor Susanne Wymann von Dach shares useful tips with a diverse audience of mountain researchers on how to get their papers published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Theresa Tribaldos, Managing Director of the International Mountain Society, presents the quarterly peer-reviewed scientific journal Mountain Research and Development, which is published by the society.

Big thanks for yesterday’s inspiring training session and energizing networking event at #IMC25. We’re grateful for the learning and connections!

#MountainResearch #Collaboration #MountainFutures

The hands-on training session is perfect for early-career researchers and anyone looking to boost their submission management skills and their publishing success.

At the networking workshop, you can connect, share, and help shape ways to strengthen the mountain research and development community.

Two photos, the top one showing a researcher interviewing a villager in Nepal (photo by Lilian Trechsel, CDE) and the bottom one showing people networking (photo by Thriday on Unsplash). The photos illustrate the contents of the events announced in the post.

📣 Happening this afternoon/evening at #IMC25:

How to get your mountain paper published: A workshop with the editors of MRD and eco.mont
🕓 16:00–17:30 🚩 MCI – SR 303 🔗 t.ly/fJixs

IMS and MRD networking workshop, with snacks and drinks
🕓 19:15–20:45 🚩 MCI – SR 303 🔗 t.ly/GOePE

See the list of events we will be cohosting on Wednesday/Thursday here👇
www.mrd-journal.org/meet-mrds-as...

We look forward to connecting with you!

#MountainResearch #AcademicPublishing #Collaboration #MountainFutures #SustainableMountainDevelopment

Photo showing shared presentation table of the journal Mountain Research and Development and its publisher, the International Mountain Society, with flyers laid out, posters on the wall behind, and two people standing and talking next to it.

Are you at #IMC25? Come visit us at SOWI, 2nd floor!
We have a shared MRD/IMS table and are happy to chat about
- publishing your research,
- the possibility of your becoming an MRD topic editor,
- our special issue from #IMC25,
- and anything else you’d like to discuss!
#MountainsMatter

#IMC25 - WS 3.118: Innovative Approaches for Mountain Resilience: Bridging Practice, Science, and the Private Sector

Heading to #IMC25? Participate in this session to discover innovative real-world projects driving sustainable mountain development and the lessons they offer.
18 September 2025, 8:30 – 10:00 AM CEST/UTC+2, SOWI – SR 12. t.ly/g1Dba
See you in Innsbruck!
#MountainsMatter #Innovation #Sustainability