Written by international authors, this book presents a comprehensive view of forests in mountain regions, and their sustainable development. It is based on a report prepared by the UUFRO Task Force in Sustainable Mountain Development, for the IUFRO Congress held in August 2000.

Despite political commitment, Europe is struggling to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010. Forests, as the hosts of much of the biological diversity in Europe, are vital to this debate. Any initiative designed to halt the biodiversity loss in Europe must take forests into account.