JMS Editorial staffs and Members Attending the International Symposium on Mountain Economy Held in Guiyang, China
JMS Editorial Staffs and Members Attending the International Symposium on Mountain Economy Held in Guiyang, China on May 5-8, 2014（PDF）
In this vibrant early summer, the International Symposium of Mountain Economy was held in Guizhou University of Finance and Economics (GUFE) in Guiyang City during May 6th to 8th, 2014.
This symposium was held by GUFE and sponsored by the Mountain Partnership under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN – FAO).
The executive editor-in-chief Dr. QIU Dunlian and the editor XIANG Li of the Journal of Mountain Science (JMS) were invited to attend this international symposium. Two JMS editorial members, Dr. Martin F. Price, Director of the Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College, University of the Highlands and Islands, UK, and Prof. CAI Yunlong, Peking University, China, were invited to attend this symposium too.
QIU Dunlian (left) and XIANG Li (right) before the conference platform
QIU Dunlian (right ) and XIANG Li (left) before the school gate of the north campus of GUFE. The north campus of the GUFE is situated in a mountain, which represents the typical landforms of the Guiyang.
From left to right, QIU Dunlian, Martin F. Price, XIANG Li
As the unique province with only mountainous topography and multi-nationalities people in China, Guizhou Province hosts many universities and colleges and most of them have specialties dedicated in mountainous economy and mountain related cultural study.
Scholars from mountain economy-related institutions and organizations in China, Italy, UK, Australia, Korea, Macedonia, Panama, India, Pakistan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan gathered in GUFE to share knowledge of the importance of mountains in our globe and mountain development, and discuss present and future challenges and opportunities in mountain areas.
Dr. Alessia Vita from the UN-FAO delivered a keynote speech regarding mountain economy and development. She introduced the origin and evolution of the mountain economy concept, the conceptual basis for the development of mountainous areas, and emphasized the role of environment, culture, institution etc. in the development of mountainous area.
Professor Martin Price from Perth college of UK showed us why mountain matters by listing a series of important history events relating mountains in the world in the past four decades and displaying abundant pictures of mountain areas around the world. He shared with us how global people, organizations and institutions care about the mountain areas such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, UN General Assembly, UN conventions, as far as the international journals dedicated to Mountain Research (Journal of Mountain Science and Mountain Research and Development).
Dr. Adrian Ward from the University of Queensland, Australia talked about the role of climate finance in the sustainable development of mountain landscapes. He mainly stressed the importance of mountains in carbon stock and the discrimination between carbon market and climate finance. As a new term in climate change research field, climate finance is supposed to be one effective way in resolving the problem of carbon release and global dispute on carbon reduction.
In the one and half days’ symposium, experts and scholars gave 7 topic speeches in the scope of mountain economy. Some of the speeches concern about the biodiversity ecosystem in mountain areas, some are related to disaster reduction and prevention in mountain regions, some focus on watershed management and development, some highlight the traditional forest management in mountainous areas. These speeches provide the audiences a great deal of information on the updated research developments related to mountain economy. All of them emphasize the significance of sustainable development in mountain areas and the importance to undertake cooperative and collaborative research and knowledge sharing in mountain management and development among different countries and institutions.
Scholars and experts attending the symposium
In the afternoon of 8 May 2014, all the participants were invited to pay a visit to the Hua-xi College Town where the Hua-xi campus of GUFE is located. We were shown around the Bills and Notes Museum and the newly constructed library of GUFE. The new library of GUFE is a 9 storey-building with spacious vacancy for the students to read. Then all visitors were led to the wetland park in the Huaxi District which is characterized by mountainous scenery and Dong minority architecture.
The school compus of GUEF in the University City, Huaxi district, Guiyang city.
The library of the new campus of GUFE in Huaxi district, Guiyang
The Dong minority architecture – Wind and Rain Bridge
The symposium attendees visited the Xiaoche He Wetland Park in Huaxi district of Guiyang.
On May 9th morning, under the invitation of Processor LONG Yuxiao and Dr. ZHANG Fengtai, the editorial staffs of the JMS visited the College of Geography and Tourism, Guizhou Normal College and Dr. QIU Dunlian made a presentation to the college staffs and studentson on how to prepare manuscripts and how to submit to international journals.
Dr. QIU Dunlian introduced the Journal of Mountain Science and the rules in manuscript preparation and submission to the teachers and students of the College of Geography and Tourism, Guizhou Normal College.
The editorial staffs had a discussion with the teachers and students in the Guizhou Normal College. The middle one is Prof. LONG Yuxiao from the college.