Livestock and agriculture
 

In many tropical alpine habitats, the treeline has been lowered or eliminated by regular burning. In some tropical alpine regions, agricultural practices also reach into the alpine belt. Similarly, treelines have been lowered in many mountain regions of Europe and New Zealand where the subalpine and alpine zones are used for livestock grazing.

Traditional agriculture and livestock systems in high mountain regions are often well adapted to alpine conditions. They permit a sustainable use of these fragile environment, partly by including long regeneration phases between periods of cultivation. Yet, due to increasing population pressure, agricultural practices are changing rapidly in many mountain areas, causing increased erosion and destruction of the ecosystems.