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change (Still et al., 1999; Bubb et al., 2004). A wide

range of potential negative impacts have been identified.

It is predicted that the optimum climatic conditions for

many mountain habitats will increase in altitude by hun-

dreds of meters in the second half of the 21st century.

This will be a direct result of temperature and rainfall

changes caused by a doubling of CO

levels. This will re-

sult in the replacement of cloud forests by lower altitude

ecosystems and the extinction of cloud forests currently

found on mountain peaks from where they are unable to

spread upslope. Cloud forests are also likely to be affect-

ed by climate change, due to a reduction in cloudiness at

lower altitudes as temperatures increase (e.g. Loope and

Giambelluca, 1998; Foster, 2001).

Conservation and sustainable management of the cloud

forests of continental south-east Asia first requires

greater recognition of the existence of these forests

amongst policy makers and development planners. Ac-

cessible information is required on the unique water-

shed and biodiversity values of these forests. Conserva-

tion and restoration measures can then be developed in

partnership with the local communities and the cities

that depend on the water and other products from the

cloud forests.

The examples presented above illustrate the complex-

ity of environmental impacts deriving from unchecked

development, and their severe impacts on biodiversity

and water resources locally. However, the cumulative

impacts of such piecemeal development may also

seriously impact overall biodiversity and ecosystem

services, as well as the stability, quantity and quality of

water resources.

Water resources affected by development

South-east Asia contains immense diversity with re-

gard to the hydrological significance of the mountains

for the water flow, the size of the river catchments,

population density, pressures and biodiversity (Table

1). Currently, only a few percent of the water sheds are

protected against exploitation (Table 1; Fig. 13). The ma-

Figure 13:

The extent of major protected areas in the study region. China has made impressive efforts in protecting

vast areas including major parts of the Chang Tang and the Kunlun Shan, home to the Chiru antelopes and other

wildlife and indigenous nomads. Organised poaching still remains a major challenge. Overall, however, the crucial

water sheds are vastly underrepresented, less than 3% of the water sheds in mountainous Asia are currently pro-

tected, though supporting life to over 3 billion people.