AIAS: Virtual Library: Research Institutes

Australian Sites

Australian Institute of Alpine Studies
The Australian Institute of Alpine Studies is a new umbrella organisation for alpine researchers of all disciplines. The Institute has no permanent geographic location other than a secretariat with the Australian Alps Liaison Committee.

Cultural and Recreation Portal
The Culture and Recreation Portal coordinates and connects Australia’s online cultural services and activities. Their website acts as a public gateway to cultural organisations, resources and events.

International Sites

Alaska Geobontany Center
The Alaska Geobotany Center is located on the campus of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, in association with the Institute of Arctic Biology. Our work primarily consists of the utilization of GIS, remote sensing, field experiments and field surveys to obtain a greater understanding of ecosystem processes and functions, and to create georeferenced maps at a variety of scales and closely related themes. Our primary focus is on vegetation, with a strong emphasis on soils, hydrology, geology, permafrost, and climatological interactions. Our work is conducted throughout the arctic regions of the world, although most projects are focused at least in part in Alaska.

Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)
The AWI supports Polar and Marine research via its research projects in the Arctic, Antarctic and at temperate latitudes. It coordinates Polar research in Germany and provides both the necessary equipment and the essential logistic back up for expeditions. The site is also available in German.

Alpenforschungsinstitut (AFI)
Alpenforschung is a thinktank for alpine research planning for the future. The site provides information for: the Institute's philosophy; mountain science; mountain forests; trafficc and the environment; toursim; and the community and the environment. The site is in German.

Byrd Polar Research Center (BPRC)
The Center is recognized internationally as a leader in polar and alpine research. The Center's research programs are conducted throughout the world. Research at the Center focuses on the role of cold regions in the global climate system, with major research themes focused on: climatic reconstruction of glacial and post-glacial times; polar ice-sheets: dynamics, history and ice-atmosphere interactions; high-latitude landform evolution, soils and hydrology; geologic evolution of Antarctica; and the history of polar exploration.

Center for Conservation Biology Network, Rice University (CCBN)
The mission of the Center for Conservation Biology Network is to help develop the technical means for the protection, maintenance, and restoration of life on this planet - its species, its ecological and evolutionary processes, and its particular and total environment; to help raise awareness, educate, and encourage personal involvement of the public and academics alike.

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK (CEH)
The Center is concerned with research into the land on which we live, its freshwaters and the living organisms which share the environment with us. It is a diverse and complex area of science covering a wide range of scales in space and time and with strong interactions with industry and commerce, economics, sociology and politics. The land and freshwater environment is threatened by natural hazards such as floods, drought or wind storms, man-made pollutants resulting from waste discharges and careless acts of man such as uncontrolled deforestation leading to climate change or loss of biodiversity. The site is currently being redesigned.

Centre of Alpine Ecology, Italy
The main areas of research include the study of biodiversity, ecopathology, forest ecosystems, soil, ethology and interspecific interactions, ecological monitoring and bioindicators, sustainable development and the protection of species and their habitat. The site is available in both English and Italian.

Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC)
The CAIC is the snow avalanche forecasting and education center for the state of Colorado. It promotes safety by reducing the impact of avalanches on recreation, industry, and transportation in the State through a program of forecasting and education.

English Heritage
English Heritage is the national body, created in 1984, to protect the historic environment and to promote public understanding and enjoyment of it. They are also the British Government’s official advisor on all matters concerning heritage conservation.

Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC)
The GHRC data holdings are primarily used by researchers investigating facets of the hydrologic cycle. However they welcome requests from researchers in all disciplines, K12 educators, students, and others who desire data and information from their system.

GLORIA: Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments
GLORIA is an initiative to establish a global indicator network for climate change-induced effects on the vegetation in high mountain ecosystems.

ICOMOS
ICOMOS is an international non-governmental organization of professionals, dedicated to the conservation of the world's historic monuments and sites. ICOMOS is an international non-governmental organization of professionals, dedicated to the conservation of the world's historic monuments and sites. ICOMOS provides a forum for professional dialogue and a vehicle for the collection, evaluation, and dissemination of information on conservation principles, techniques, and policies. The site is available in English and French. This site links the the Australian Committee site – Australia ICOMOS which has a full text version of The Burra Charter.

Insitut de Geographie Alpine, France
This site provides links to other Europeon sites related to alpine research, publications, bibliographies, images and alike. This site is in French.

Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
Research Institute of the University of Colorado providing research, climate change and ecology information.

Institute of Artic Biology, University of Alaska
The Institute of Arctic Biology (IAB) exists as a focus for research on Northern biota. IAB was established by the State Legislature in 1963 with a broad mandate to study the adaptations of plants and animals, including humans, to the special climates and environments of arctic and subarctic regions. The Institute's research began with studies on physiological aspects of adaptations in animals and has expanded to include plant and animal communities and ecosystems, wildlife biology, human biology and biomedical science, and cellular and molecular biology.

Mountain Forum's Global Information Server
Originating from activities preceding the 1992 Earth Summit, the Mountain Forum offers a venue for global linkage of individuals and organizations concerned with mountain cultures, environment and sustainable development. Its purpose is to provide a forum for mutual support and for the exchange of ideas and experiences.

The Mountain Institute
The Mountain Institute is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization committed to the preservation of mountain environments and advancement of mountain cultures around the world. Since 1972, they have administered conservation, research, development, and education programs on three continents from their base in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.

Nagaoka Institute of Snow and Ice Studies, Japan
The Nagaoka Institute of Snow and Ice Studies have been conducting snow and ice research not only from a local point of view but also from a global point of view. Fifty-two percent of national land in Japan was designated as "high snowfall area" and 20 million residents are living there. Under these circumstances, various counter-measures for snow avalanche and snow storm are studied. To reduce and mitigate disasters induced by global change, study on the Cryosphrer plays an important role. Thus, study of various phenomenon are conducted in cooperation with other countries which have cryosphere. The site is available in Japanese and English.

NGDC - National Geopyshical Data Center
The NGDC - National Geopyshical Data Center manages environmental data in the fields of marine geology and geophysics, paleoclimatology, solar-terrestrial physics, solid earth geophysics, and glaciology (snow and ice).

NSIDC -National Snow and Ice Data Center
The Center is a data and information resource for those studying snow and ice, and their importance to the Earth system. They archive analogue and digital snow and ice data, create and distribute data products, and maintain a large library collection in support of snow and ice research.

Shinjo Branch of Snow and Ice Studies, Japan
The Shinjo Branch is part of the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention, NIED has mainly concentrated its activity on two research directions: research on snow and ice in Arctic area influencing the global climate changes, and research on disaster preventive measures in snowy regions of Japan. The site is available in Japanese and English.

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)
The WSL is a federal research institute within the domain of the Federal Institutes of Technology. It undertakes research into the environment and sustainability. Its key areas are the "use, management and protection of near-natural terrestrial habitats" and the "management of natural hazards". Research work undertaken by the WSL is targeted in particular at mountainous regions and at built-up areas and their surroundings. Site available in Dutch, German, English French and Italian.

Swiss Priority Environment Programme (SPEP)
The Swiss Priority Programmes encourage the potential of creativity and know-how of public research institutions to the profit of the Swiss economy and society. Researches of public and private institutions join to local centres of competence or national networks. It has a comprehensive listing of research programmes worldwide and government agencies in the European Union and worldwide.

UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB)
The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme is an interdisciplinary programme of research and training intended to develop the basis, within the natural and the social sciences, for the rational use and conservation of the resources of the biosphere, and for the improvement of the global relationship between people and the environment.

World Heritage Center (WHC)
The WHC assures the day-to-day management of the World Heritage Convention. It’s site makes available a full-text version of this convention, the selection criteria for a site to be listed and an up-to-date listing of world heritage sites.