Analele UniversităŃii din Oradea – Seria Geografie Year XXI, no. 2/2011 ( December ), pp. 340-353 ISSN 1454-2749, E-ISSN 2065-1619 Article no. 212120-552 ASPECTS REGARDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN THE APUSENI NATURAL PARK (ROMANIA) ∗∗∗ Ribana LINC University of Oradea, Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, The Territorial Studies and Analyses Centre (CSAT), Oradea, Romania, e-mail:
[email protected] Stelian NISTOR University of Oradea, Department of Geography, Tourism and Territorial Planning, The Territorial Studies and Analyses Centre (CSAT), Oradea, Romania, e-mail:
[email protected] David TURNOCK Geography Department, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, U.K Abstract: Located in the heart of Apuseni Mountains, the Apuseni Natural Park, provoked passionate controversy related to its legal status, the management areas, the touristic megaprojects, the promotion of more or less decent touristic activities. The natural and human resources are fabulous and are widely recognized abroad and are struck with his foot in all directions. But the touristic activities causes many damages such as: air pollution in summer period, water pollution in karsts areas, soil pollution, especially with waste products in huge quantities, the reduction of natural areas, destruction of flora and fauna, degradation of landscape aesthetics through doubtful touristic infrastructure, the effect of overcrowding during summer periods. To all these effects, which accumulate from year to year, one could add the pressure of rural communities which has land within the park territory, because along centuries the forest supplied the inhabitants with significant incomes. Recently, a strong lobby is made, sometimes at the edge of the legality, in order to allow real estate projects.