Mountains and Man : A Study of Process and Environment

Mountains have been crucial in human history. They have been objects of adoration and centers of religious homage, boundaries between states, barriers to communication and transportation, bastions of military defense, and places of refuge and sanctuary. Mountains have provided food, timber, water, minerals and recreation. They continue to challenge the spirit and contribute to the human experience.

This book explores the complex processes and features of mountain environments: glaciers, snow and avalanches, landforms, weather and climate, vegetation, soils, and wildlife. A major section analyzes the effects of latitudinal position on these processes and features. There is also an investigation of the origin of mountains, our attitudes towards them, and their manifold implications for us.

Professor Prices finds that there is reason for concern over the health of the world's mountains, for like any delicately balanced ecosystem, a mountain ecosystem is subject to the incursions of man and nature. With the hope of lessening the irreparable damage caused by man, Price draws numerous object lessons from the mistakes of various countries and cultures. His aim is to identify the resource potential of mountain environments, clarify their limitations, and preserve their well-being.