Introduction

Mountains are important ecosystems in the world. They approximately cover 24% of the earth’s surface and support 12% of the world population. Mountains are towers that collect and store fresh water; springs, streams and rivers originating in mountains are life-lines that link human communities. Mountains are bastions of biodiversity and are often sanctuaries for unique flora and fauna. Mountains are also centers of cultural diversity due to the isolation of mountain peoples from each other and also from those living in lowlands. Their cultures are reflective of their relationships to the natural environments. Mountains are of recreational value promoting a plethora of activities that are economically important. Natural resources of the mountains, both renewable and non-renewable are rich. However, mountains are fragile ecosystems that are under stress due to development and non-sustainable activities.

The global importance of mountains has been acknowledged by many international organizations. Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 released during the United Nation’s Earth Summit of 1992 in Rio de Janeiro addresses sustainable mountain development. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) identified mountain ecosystems as one of its programs in 1995 and by 2002 has procured funding for over 100 projects in 64 countries. The UN General Assembly declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains (IYM). The World Summit in Sustainable Development in Johannesburg established a Mountain Partnership during IYM. Seventh Conference of Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2004 endorsed a wide range of research on biodiversity of mountains. An open science conference held in Perth, Scotland in 2005 witnessed the participation of more than 300 researchers on Global Changes in Mountain Regions.

The present conference is intended as the next major event following the Perth Conference. It intends to bring together a forum of mountain researchers from all over the world to share and communicate the results of their research at this unique venue in the Arabian Peninsula. It welcomes the participation of researchers from both developed and developing countries. Center for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR) at Sultan Qaboos University in association with the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources (MRMEWR) and Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society (AEHMS) – Ecovision, North America is organizing this event.

Assemble researchers working on the mountains of the world under one roof and create an opportunity for the dissemination of their research underlining the global importance of mountain ecosystems, their conservation and sustainable development.

Facilitate the North – South dialogue of mountain researchers in the background scenario of mountain research in developing South.

Promote the South – South dialogue of mountain researchers divided by enormous funding gaps by facilitating the participation of researchers from poor developing countries.

Provide an avenue for developing international partnerships in mountain research.

Produce one or more quality publications in the form of monographs and edited volumes that will be valuable contributions to international mountain research.

Present the results of Al Jabal Al Akhdar Initiative as an example of important mountain research carried out in the arid zones of the tropics.

The proposed themes within the main framework of ecology, conservation and sustainable development are,

Presentation covering the scientific, socioeconomic, management and policy issues relating to the ecology, conservation and sustainable development of mountain ecosystems are welcome.

These are likely to be modified based on response from potential participants

We are receiving financial support from Sultan Qaboos University as the main sponsor. Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) has assured us funds and United Nation Environment Program, Regional Office West Asia (UNEP, ROWA) has pledged technical help and support for six participants from West Asia. Gulf Research Council, Dubai has pledged support for publications. Our main co-organizers, Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources (MRMEWR) and Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society of North America are providing manpower, technical help and have also promised to help in fund raising activities.

Prof. Reginald Victor (Co-chair); Director, Center for Environmental Studies and Research, P.O. Box 17, Sultan Qaboos University, PC 123, Muscat Sultanate of Oman , Tel: +968 2414 31 22; Fax: +968 244 14 012; GSM +968 9984 8165, rvictor@squ.edu.om

Dr. M. Munawar (Co-chair): Research Scientist, Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences , Fisheries & Oceans, Canada
President: Aquatic Ecosystem Health, & Management Society (AEHMS) , Tel: 905-336-4867; Fax: 905-634-3516 or 336-6437, munawarm@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Mr. Ali Amer Al-Kiyumi (Co-chair): DG of Nature Conservation, Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment & Water Resources, P.O. Box 323, Muscat, PC 113, Sultanate of Oman,

Prof. Martin Price: Director, Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College, UHI Millennium Institute, Crieff Road, Perth PH1 2NX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1738-877217,Fax: +44 (0) 1738-877018, www.cms.uhi.ac.uk

Dr. Habib N. El-haber: Deputy Regional Director, Regional Office fir West Asia, UNEP, P.O. Box: 10880, Manama, Bahrain, Tel: (973) 17 826600; Fax: (973) 17 825110/825111, Habib.Elhaber@unep.org.bh

Dr. Daniel Maselli: National Center for Competence in Research North-South, University of Berne, Switzerland, Daniel.maselli@cde.unibe.ch

Dr Andrea Lami: Senior Researcher, CNR – Istituto per lo Studio degli Ecosystemi, Verbania, Pallanza , Italy, Tel +39 0323 518300, Home: + 39 0323 504285, a.lami@ise.cnr.it

Dr. Greg Greenwood: Executive Director, The Mountain Research Initiative, C/o Forest Institute ETH-Zantrum CHNG71, CH-8092, Zurich, Switaerland, Tel + 41 (0) 446325562, greenwood@scnat.ch

Prof. Dr. Andreas Buerkert: Organic Plant Production & Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, Steinstr. 19, University of Kassel, D-37213 WITZENHAUSEN (Germany), Phone: +49 5542-98.1229, Fax: +49 5542-98.1230, Email: buerkert@uni-kassel.de, Internet: http://www.wiz.uni-kassel.de/ink/?language=en&c=66

Prof. em. Palayanoor S. Ramakrishnan: School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi, 110 067, India, Phone: +91 (0)11 2670 4326, Phone 2 : +91 (0)931 225 7870, Fax : +91 (0)11 2616 9962, psr@mail.jnu.ac.in

Prof. William D. Bowman: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, Mountain Research Station - Niwot Ridge, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, United States of America , Phone: +1 (0) 303 492 88 42, Phone 2 : +1 (0) 303 492 25 57, Fax : +1 (0) 303 492 86 99, bowman@colorado.edu

Prof. John Lemons: Department of Environmental Studies, New England University, Biddeford, Maine, United States of America, johnlemons@mac.com

Dr. Stefan Grab: Geography, Archaeology & Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, PO Wits 2050, Johannesburg
South Africa, grabs@geoarc.wits.ac.za

Dr. Fausto Sarmiento: Assistant Professor of Geography, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Office for International Education and School of Environmental Design, 200 Barrow Hall,Athens, Georgia 30602, United States of America Phone: +1 (0) 706 542 28 56, Fax : +1 (0) 706 542 23 88, URL : http://www.uga.edu/oie/sarmiento.htm, fsarmien@uga.edu

Prof. em. Bruno Messerli: Geographisches Institut - Physische Geographie, Universität Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Brunnweid, CH-3086 Zimmerwald, Switzerland , Phone: +41 (0)31 819 33 81, Phone 2 : +41 (0)31 631 88 75, Fax : +41 (0)31 819 76 81, , URL : http://www.giub.unibe.ch/, bmesserli@bluewin.ch

Dr. Gianni Tartari: Director , Research at Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque- , Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche , (Water Research Institute of the National Research Council), Section of Brugherio, Italy, tartari@irsa.cnr.it

Prof Dr. Eva Schlecht: Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Kassel, Steinstr. 19, University of Kassel, D-37213 WITZENHAUSEN, (Germany), Phone: +49 5542-98.1201, Fax: +49 5542-98.1230, Email: schlecht@uni-kassel.de

The LOC is co- chaired by Prof R. Victor, Director, CESAR, SQU and Dr Mehdi Jaaffar, Advisor, CESAR. Subcommittees have commenced work from 1 May 2007. The following subcommittees function under this umbrella;

Venue and Accommodation: Coordinator: Mr Khamis Al Hadhrami & Mr. Ahmed Al-Wahabi

Publications: Coordinator: Mr Ketan Mehta (English) & Mr. Hassan Al Lawati (Arabic)

The registration fee for a single participant is US $300/- or its equivalent in any acceptable foreign currency. Student participants will have a reduced fee of U.S. $ 100/- or its equivalent. Late registration will incur an additional levy of U.S. $ 50. Attendees with an accompanying person should add U.S. $100 to the registration fee. Payment covers all conference material, lunch, coffee-breaks and conference banquet. Participants have to pay for accommodation, food not included in the conference package, telephone calls and special fieldtrips. Commercial participants, NGOS and other potential exhibitors should contact the Oman Secretariat for further details.

Oman conference secretariat will organize accommodation for participants in local hotels at special discount rates. A variety of accommodation is available in Muscat ranging from budget category to six star hotels.

To assist researchers from developing countries, serious efforts are being made to obtain funds for travel and registration fees. Full support does not seem feasible at this stage. Depending on funds available, the Scientific Committee (LOC) with the help of the International Advisory Committee may offer partial support to selected participants.

Sultan Qaboos University is situated in the Capital Area of Muscat, Sultanate of Oman close to the Seeb International Airport. Its beautiful campus provides an idyllic national and academic backdrop. Its state of the art conference facilities will be used during this conference. www.squ.edu.om

February in Oman is spring, the best time of the year with very pleasant temperatures (20-30 ْC) in contrast to very hot temperatures (40-50 ْC) in summer.

Sultanate Oman is a beautiful country with mountains, deserts and a long coast line. It has several pristine natural locations of scenic and ecological value. A country known for its leadership in environmental conservation in the Arabian Gulf region, it also has very rich culture. The Omani hospitality is next to none with a unique blend of tradition and modernization. Although the conference will be held in Northern Oman, the participants will have opportunities to visit other parts of the country.

This conference is coordinated by two secretariats for the convenience of participants from various geographical locations.

Attention: Ms. Rahma Al-Siyabi, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 17, PC 123, Sultanate of Oman, Tel: +(968) 2414 1442,Fax: +(968) 2441 4012, Email: rsiyabi@squ.edu.om

Attention: Ms. Jennifer Lorimer, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Canada Center for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, P.O. Box 5050, Burlington, Ontario, Canada L7R 4A6, Tel: + 905-336-4867, Fax: +905-634-3516 or 336-6437, Email: LorimerJ@DFO-MPO.GC.CA

Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 17, PC 123, Sultanate of Oman, Tel: +(968) 2414 1442, Fax: +(968) 2441 4012 ,Email: cesar@squ.edu.om

	Center for Environmental Studies and Research (CESAR) at Sultan Qaboos University was awarded HM’s Strategic Research Grant in 2004 to conduct the multidisciplinary research “Al Jabal Al Akhdar Initiative – Conservation and Sustainable Development in a Fragile Arid Mountain Ecosystem.” This project, the first of its kind in the Arabian Peninsula will reach its conclusion in December 2007. A mid-project workshop conducted in February 2006 clearly established its importance as a case study for the implementation of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) not only at the country level, but also at regional and global levels. The subject of this project discussed in several international venues, supported by mountain experts, warrants it dissemination not only to the local and regional audience, but also to the international community of mountain researchers. It is believed that this international conference on the mountains of the world will be an appropriate place to commemorate the conclusion of this project in addition to presenting and discussing its results as a flagship event.

Prof. Martin Price: Director, Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College, UHI Millennium Institute, Crieff Road, Perth PH1 2NX, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1738-877217,Fax: +44 (0) 1738-877018, www.cms.uhi.ac.uk

Prof. Martin Price: Director, Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College, UHI Millennium Institute, Crieff Road, Perth PH1 2NX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1738-877217,Fax: +44 (0) 1738-877018, www.cms.uhi.ac.uk