Mountain ecosystems as cores of future TPES

I am now studying maps of protected areas across Asian countries — everything is extremely fragmented, truly in a shattered state. As a rule, nature reserves are mostly created in mountainous areas. From a scientific point of view, this is correct and justified, since mountains are points of self-restoration for biological systems and refugia — shelters for wild nature. But I understand perfectly well that the allocation of protected areas in the mountains is not characterized by concern for nature, but by the fact that these places are harder to reach. It is very simple: state systems do not regard nature reserves as objects of absolute nature protection; rather, they view them through the prism of “future preserves” for subsequent development. But for now, it is difficult to get there, and it is easier to develop something along the way, where it is much easier to drive in heavy machinery and extract resources. That is why we see most protected areas precisely in mountainous terrain.

These “protected preserves” are now being opened up rapidly, and the deeper the economic crisis in the world becomes, the more chaos there is, the stronger the pressure on nature grows in the interests of absorbing it.

I believe — and I am sure the scientific community will agree with me — that we need to designate mountain ecosystems as the cores of future TPES, with the boundaries of protected areas extending toward the plains.

Let us identify all existing protected areas across Asia, together with our Russian Altai and the Sayan Mountains, and try to work through future TPES in these regions specifically, with concrete proposals to states afterward. I understand perfectly well that no one will rush to protect nature without deep systemic changes. But these changes will never come unless there is a broad public demand and a stable scientific requirement.

Once I finish studying the mountain areas along the planned expedition routes, I will share the results and my view of the situation. We need to carry out mapping by Asian countries and compile a list of all possible candidates for future TPES.