Key Issues for their Future Management

pleased to publish this overview of the conservation and management needs of Scotland’s mountain areas. This is a detailed account of many activities undertaken under the auspices of the IYM. The report is distinctive in at least two regards. First, it is based to a large extent on interviews with specialists, advisors, policy makers, politicians and many others; this provides a freshness and sharpness to the content of the report. Second, it comes from external, academic sources; the authors are based at the Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College (an academic partner of the UHI Millennium Institute), Imperial College, and at the Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of St Andrews. For the first time in Scotland, we have a comprehensive analysis of information and experience across mountain land use, conservation and the local economy, notably from a sustainable stance. Indeed, the consideration of sustainable mountain development issues provides a clear analysis of integrated approaches to caring for mountain areas. The report transcends the breadth of interests affecting Scotland’s land, freshwater and nature in mountain areas. The conclusion, that we need to work harder at integrated approaches to supporting policy development, should be acted upon quickly. The dearth of some basic information and statistics, which limits both reporting on trends within Scotland, as well as comparisons with other mountain areas in Europe, is currently bein