Search Results (54)

As a crucial ecological barrier in China, the Greater Khingan Mountains play a vital role in global ecological security. Investigating the spatiotemporal variations in fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and the driving mechanisms behind its spatial differentiation is essential. This study introduced a KNDVI-XGeoML framework integrating the Kernel NDVI and explainable geospatial machine learning to analyze the FVC dynamics and the mechanisms driving their spatial differentiation in China’s Greater Khingan Mountains, based on which targeted ecological management strategies were proposed. The key findings reveal that (1) from 2001 to 2022, FVC showed an increasing trend, confirming the effectiveness of ecological restoration. (2) The XGeoML model successfully revealed nonlinear relationships and threshold effects between driving factors and FVC. In addition, both single-factor importance and inter-factor interaction analyses consistently showed that landform factors dominated the spatial distribution of FVC. (3) Regional heterogeneity emerged—human activities drove the northern alpine zones, while landform factors governed other areas. (4) The natural-environment-dominated zones and human-activity-dominated zones were established, and management strategies were proposed: restricting tourism in low-altitude zones, optimizing the cold-resistant vegetation at high elevations, and improving the southern soil conditions to support ecological barrier construction. The innovation lies in merging nonlinear vegetation indices with interpretable machine learning, overcoming the traditional limitations in terms of saturation effects and analyses of spatial heterogeneity. This approach enhances our understanding of high-latitude vegetation dynamics, offering a methodological advancement for precision ecological management. The spatial zoning strategy based on dominant drivers provides actionable insights for maintaining this critical ecological barrier, particularly under climate change pressures. The framework demonstrates strong potential for extrapolation to other ecologically sensitive regions requiring data-driven conservation planning. Full article

Conservation of rare plant species diversity is often found within the context of disturbance and land use planning. In mountainous regions, globally, critical plant conservation issues can occur at esthetically pleasing topoedaphic positions, such as popular mountain summits. Here, we assess the spatiotemporal ecology of an imperiled cushion plant assemblage in such a situation. Plant community dynamics of three rare cushion plant species [scented pussytoes (Antennaria aromatica), Howard’s alpine forget-me-not (Eritrichum howardii), and Shoshone carrot (Shoshonea pulvinata)] were measured at a 2475 m mountain summit near Cody, WY, USA. The survey was conducted in the summer of 2017–2019 using 1 m² quadrats across three macroplots (ranging from 295 to 2250 m² in size) to estimate all vascular plant species abundance. Altitude, canopy height, vegetative cover, standing dead biomass, rock, litter, and bare soil were also measured. We assessed annual changes in abundances, richness (#), evenness (N2/N1), and diversity (H′) and performed a constrained ordination to understand ecological drivers of distribution. Nineteen total plant species were identified, all of which were native perennial species. Five additional species were also noted to be species of conservation concern. For the three rare cushion plants of focus, abundance did not significantly change over the three-year period. Species richness was lower in 2017 than in subsequent years, but there was no difference in evenness or diversity. In the constrained ordination, the first axis explained 56.1% of the variation and was attributed to the rock-to-vegetation gradient of the environment, while the second axis explained an additional 28.7% of the variance and was attributed to altitude. The three rare cushion plants of focus appeared to segregate and occupy differential habitat niches. The popularity of this mountain peak, coupled with the presence of a diverse rare cushion plant community, should facilitate the careful monitoring and management of tourism to ensure the conservation of diversity. Full article

The snow-based tourism, long a cornerstone of economic development for mountain destinations in the Italian Alps, is increasingly unsustainable. This study explores the potential of a cultural project dedicated to showcasing the representation of women in Alpine spaces as an alternative pull factor to alpine tourism. The project aims to revitalise the cultural and social heritage of Alpine regions, offering them renewed appeal while promoting sustainable development practices. Aligned with the Declaration of Jena, the project also aims to foster cultural sustainability by amplifying the often-overlooked contributions of women across professional, cultural, artistic, and recreational spheres in the Alps. Full article

In recent years, various scholars have called for the development of new forms of cultural tourism aimed at enhancing inland areas. Following this, this paper presents a method for semi-automatically constructing itineraries for cultural tourism, utilizing a geo-dataset of literary quotations, including quotes and itineraries that can offer ideas for new storytelling, envisioning landscapes and cultural references for territorial valorization. This pilot case study focuses on the Dolomite area of the Fiemme and Fassa valleys, a well-known tourist destination also famous for its historic wood production. This study is based on a dataset of geolocated travel reports from 11 different 19th-century authors. These descriptions are classified into Points of Interest (POIs), and the point layer is integrated with a linear layer of the road and path network. Variables such as bus stops and travel time are also considered. The entire process is automated through a script that generates maps of optimal routes for each author, along with corresponding tables of travel times. This method enables the use of this dataset to design and develop specific cultural routes considering different variables. As a result, a cartography of multiple itineraries is proposed, which can serve as a tool for promoting cultural, sustainable and slow tourism development in an alpine inland area. Full article

This ethnobotanical study examines the traditional knowledge and usage patterns of wild plants in the western Alps, specifically within the Ubaye and Bellino Valleys, through a comparative analysis of data collected from 1983 (published in 1990) to 2024. Our study aims to assess the change in plant usage, species diversity, and the changing roles of plants in local traditions in the western Alpine mountain ecosystems. While the 1983 survey documented medicinal uses centered around pastoralist practices, the 2024 data highlight a notable increase in the use of synanthropic plants, now utilized both medicinally and as food. Several species such as Allium sativum, Artemisia absinthium, and Urtica dioica have shown resilience and continuity in local cultural practices, maintaining medicinal, culinary, and ritual significance across the four decades. The 1983 survey documented the greatest variety of species (101), a number that decreased in subsequent studies. The 2009 survey identified 36 species not previously recorded in 1983, and the 2024 field study noted an additional 20 species. The study highlights the economic potential of several wild species in these alpine areas, such as Achillea, Artemisia, Verbascum, Veronica, Viola, Polygonum, Bunium, and Sorbus spp., which could be utilized for creating new herbal teas, artisanal beers, liqueurs, ice creams, sweets, and seasoned food products. Expanding the uses of these plants could not only preserve ethnobotanical knowledge but also stimulate local economies and support sustainable development in alpine communities. The documented temporal shifts in plant usage reflect broader cultural, ecological, and socio-economic changes, underscoring the importance of preserving biodiversity and traditional knowledge amidst ongoing environmental and societal shifts. This study underlines the need to conserve ethnobotanical heritage while adapting to the evolving landscape of the region. Future research could focus on exploring the role of these species in broader sustainability initiatives, including conservation strategies, ecosystem services, and community-based tourism while continuing to document the cultural dynamics influencing plant usage. Full article

The study aims to evaluate the demand for forest bathing in northern Italy’s regions, underlining the willingness to pay and the potential tourists’ habits and flows on attending alpine contexts. Several studies have analyzed the psychophysical benefits of forest bathing, and there is a growing interest in assessing its economic value for tourism purposes. The sample’s answers have been analyzed employing a stratified sampling methodology considering three different macro areas (northwest regions, northeast regions, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region). After analyzing the sample’s attitudes, the research approached the estimation section by calculating the flow as the number of potential forest bathing hikes per year and the willingness to pay through the contingent valuation method. The main results indicate that forest bathing activity in northern Italy has a considerable monetary value, and it is generally compared with positive feelings, particularly concerning well-being and fascination factors. Full article

The analysis of the realization path of the value of ecotourism products in agro-cultural heritage sites from the perspective of farmers’ behaviors can not only provide decision-making references for improving the well-being of farmers and alleviating poverty but also help to provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of ecosystems in agro-cultural heritage sites. Based on the field research data of the Qitai dry farming system in Xinjiang in 2023, this study establishes an evaluation index system for livelihood capital transformed by tourism value, and it analyzes whether there is a significant difference between the livelihood capital held by different types of farmers by using the entropy method and non-parametric tests. This study found that (1) farmers who participated in tourism in alpine grassland pastoral areas possessed advantageous financial, social and cultural capital; those who participated in tourism in rain-fed agricultural areas possessed advantageous human capital; and those who participated in tourism in irrigated agricultural areas possessed advantageous financial and human capital. (2) There are significant differences in the natural, physical and financial capital between farmers in alpine grassland pastoral, rain-fed and irrigated agricultural areas. (3) The different types of farm households are categorized into three representative livelihood types in dryland agricultural and cultural heritage sites: strong financial capital-strong, socio-cultural capital sites, strong human capital-weak natural capital sites, and strong human capital-weak physical capital sites. Depending on the composition of the livelihood capital, different types of farmers in heritage sites can realize the tourism value of ecological products, thus helping them to ameliorate their combined benefits. Full article

Mountain guides play an important role in the provision of nature-based tourism activities, such as mountaineering, in alpine environments around the world. However, these locales are uniquely sensitive to climate change, and despite extensive documentation of bio-geophysical changes, there are few studies evaluating the impacts of these changes on mountaineering routes and the livelihood of mountain guides. This constrains adaptation planning and limits awareness of potential loss and damage in the mountain tourism sector. In response, our study explored mountain guides’ lived experiences of working on Mt. Athabasca in Jasper National Park, Canada, to reveal the effects of climate change on mountaineering routes and implications for the mountain guiding community. To do this, we used a mixed methods approach that combined spatio-temporal trend analysis, repeat photography, and semi-structured interviews with mountain guides. We found that rising temperatures and changing precipitation regimes in the Mt. Athabasca area are driving glacial retreat and loss of semi-permanent snow and ice, which is impacting climbing conditions and objective hazards on mountaineering and guiding routes. Guides’ experiences of these changes varied according to socio-economic conditions (e.g., financial security, livelihood flexibility), with late-career guides tending to experience loss of guiding opportunities and early-career guides facing increased pressure to provide services in more challenging conditions. Our findings offer novel insights that identify salient issues and bolster support for actions in response to the concerns of the mountain guide community. This study also underscores the need for further research, as the underlying issues are likely present in mountaineering destinations globally. Full article

Mountains are perceived as places of biodiversity, as attractive places with breathtaking aesthetic views and epitomized by their unique landscape features. As mountains are the second most demanded outdoor destination category at a global level after beaches and islands, the steady growth of tourism places high pressure on sensitive mountain ecosystems. As can be observed from tourism practice in mountain environments, the distribution of tourism activities is highly uneven. In the Alps, one of the best-known regions with relentless tourism growth, a substantial concentration of tourism intensity can be traced to specific locations and valleys, whereas other parts have to cope with trends of marginalization. In this situation, many concerned stakeholders have long advocated for more balanced economic and tourism development. The initiative of “Mountaineering Villages” promoted by the Alpine Convention is one of a few respective actions to shift perspectives and persuade tourists to engage in sustainable tourism activities. The paper explores how these activities are linked to the balanced use of cultural landscapes and the narratives that are exposed as convincing development models in these regions. Full article

This paper introduces actual considerations for the progressive disuse of residential space in the Alpine territory, considering possible actions. Nowadays, the building complexes built around the 1960s and 1970s (a symbol of mass tourism) are suffering and searching for a new identity. The generation of owners who bought them has aged and the propensities of the new generations for holiday in those places has changed, which means fewer opportunities for leisure, particularly in the winter. Due to the great attention (and seeming opportunities) of current incentive policies toward improving the energy use of the existing stock, the authors investigate the private conveniences of transformations through the refurbishment of these buildings. Starting from a study of the territory and the dynamics of the local population, this research analyzes a possible set of energy works, based on a new (2020) incentive measure, the 110% Superbonus, which consists of a series of facilitation mechanisms, deductions, and reimbursements for building interventions. A large part of the insight is focused on a technical and economic feasibility study of the possible actions, following a process based on the evolution of the legislation. This work is based on a specific case study, located in a small municipality in the Piedmont mountain area, consisting of three apartment blocks of mostly second homes. The methodology adopted lends itself on the one hand, as a guide for preliminary economic energy assessments and, on the other hand, as a policy evaluation tool from the public and private perspectives. Full article

Summer pasture grazing is perceived as being under pressure from renewed wolf presence in the Italian Alpine province of South Tyrol. To investigate this, we combined a literature review with expert interviews to (1) get an overview of the situation of small ruminant farming and (2) identify drivers with an influence on summer pasture use, including wolf presence. Firstly, the results show an increase in small ruminant farms and stock numbers in the valley and on summer pastures during the last years. Secondly, subsidy programs, off-farm employment, lack of personnel and tourism are some of the main drivers for summer pasture development in the past and future. Thirdly, this analysis detects the potential pressure of wolf presence on small ruminant summer farming. Nevertheless, this impact should still be considered modest compared to other driving processes that have started before the return of the wolves. Based on this, the study finally discusses the importance of focusing on targeted funding, the revalorization of the shepherd profession and the balance between tourism and livestock farming to support summer pasture farming in the future. Full article

This study analyzed the challenges and benefits of the identification and promotion of a long-distance cycleway in high mountain areas with the aim of promoting Alpine eco- and geo-tourism. We also investigated the role of e-biking in discovering local geodiversity and geoheritage in a sustainable way. In particular, we focused on the path from Bormio to the Forni Glacier (Upper Valtellina, Italy), analyzed within the framework of the “E-bike” Interreg project. We performed a detailed analysis to select the points of environmental–geological interest (POIs), with a focus on geoheritage sites to increase the knowledge of the natural heritage of the area. Since these sites are widespread in the study area, within the frame of the “E-bike” project, we selected only the most exemplary ones, covering a wide spectrum of attractions, from a moving geosite (i.e., landslide) to a paradigmatic example of the effects of climate change (glacier). The “E-bike” path represents in its entirety a great opportunity to visit mountain and high-mountain landscapes, even for inexperienced mountain bikers, and to enjoy places rich in naturalistic and cultural values. Our interdisciplinary approach allows visitors to identify the sites of interest and export the structure of the project in different environmental and human contexts. Full article

Forests deliver many ecosystem services, from provisioning to regulating and cultural services. We aimed at demonstrating microclimatic regulation and pollutant removal as especially relevant ecosystem services when considering the tourism vocation of the Alpine regions. A study was realized along an altitudinal gradient (900–1600 m a.s.l.) in Trentino, northern Italy, an area with high touristic presence (ca. 9.3 million overnight stays in summer 2021). Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂, µg m⁻³), ozone (O₃, µg m⁻³) concentrations, air temperature (T, °C), and relative humidity (RH, %) were simultaneously measured in three open-field sites (OF) and below-canopy Norway spruce forest stands (FO) during the period 23 May–7 August 2013. The temperature–humidity index (THI) was calculated. We found a distinct mitigating effect of forest on T, with lower maximum (−30.6%) and higher minimum values (+6.3%) in FO than in OF. THI supported a higher comfort sensation in FO than in OF, especially in the central part of the day. NO₂ concentrations did not differ between OF and FO; ozone concentrations were lower in FO than OF. This study confirms the role of forests in providing several ecosystem services beneficial for forest users, especially relevant for promoting nature-based tourism in the Alpine region. Full article

The alpine grasslands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau are one of the most famous grazing ecosystems in the world, providing a variety of ecosystem functions and services. The rate of grassland degradation has been slowed by the implementation of national grassland restoration projects, but the degradation of grasslands on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has not yet been fundamentally reversed, and some grasslands are still degraded to varying degrees. The main causes of grassland degradation on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau are both human and natural factors. Human factors include overgrazing, over-cultivation, indiscriminate digging and mining, mineral resource development, infrastructure construction and use, and tourism development. Natural factors include climate change, wildlife destruction, pests, etc. Based on the principles of restoration ecology, a number of effective practices and integrated management responses for restoring degraded grasslands have been developed on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The degraded grassland restoration practices include fencing, fertilization, sown grassland establishment, rodent control, and grazing management. Based on these practices, the comprehensive restoration of degraded grasslands and the establishment and sustainable management of sown grasslands in the alpine grasslands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau should be further strengthened, and research on the mechanisms of grassland degradation and restoration should be further developed. Full article

Protected areas play an important role due to their twofold capacity for biodiversity conservation and the provision of many benefits to human well-being. Tourism can be a tool for protecting nature, enhancing people’s sensitivity, and a threat to biodiversity management. This study investigates users’ attitudes and perceptions and managers’ concerns related to the frequentation of two protected areas in the Italian Alps: the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Adamello Regional Park. We carried out 32 semi-structured interviews with park managers and municipalities to identify their perception of tourism and possible threats related to the use of the parks. Thus, we administered questionnaires to 3399 users of the PAs to investigate their attitudes and perceptions. We made considerations on whether there were similarities in the attitudes identified by the park managers and results of the questionnaires. Questionnaires confirmed the managers’ perception of mass tourism regarding one-day stays and the purpose of the visits, but we could not exhaustively confirm the increase of new visitors. We performed a binary logistic regression to understand the relationship between short-term stays and attitudes of visitors (origin, frequency of visits, stakeholders’ category, and biographical data). Eventually, interviews stated an exacerbation of the growth of visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic; thus, we investigated if the pandemic changed the assiduity of visits, and half of the users claimed a change in their assiduity of visits, but mostly declared a decreased frequentation of the area. Full article