Influence of tourist activities on mountain regions Jagoda Munic 1998
Keywords: mountains, protected areas, environmental impact, tourism, survey, Croatia.
Tourism is one of the major economic branches in Croatia that of further development is expected, even in regions undeveloped in that sense by date, such as mountain regions. Newly built forest roads make mountains more "reachable" than before, same as marketing provided by tourist offices and companies. Mountain regions (Dinarides) spread through Western Croatia, some of them protected by the law. Both strict reserves are in the mountainous regions: Bijele i Samarske stijene and Hajducki i Rozanski kukovi (1st IUCN category of protection, 3911 ha); three nature parks: Medvednica, Biokovo and Velebit (5th IUCN category, 242376 ha); three National parks: Paklenica, Risnjak and Plitvicka jezera - that are a part of World Heritage by UNESCO (2nd IUCN category of protection, 26110 ha), while Velebit mountain is the only UNESCO Biosphere reserve in Croatia (since 1978.). All together those reserves spread on 271760 ha of protected land, which at Velebit alone is 200 000 ha.
Those protected regions are the most attractive to visitors, which make them the most influenced to all sorts of, both positive and negative, impacts. The aim of the research is to define possible impact of tourism in mountainous regions in Croatia and to offer proposals for concrete actions of protection to decrease negative impact. Areas for fieldwork and case studies are chosen by their tourist attractiveness and importance.
Mountain tourism in Croatia is much less developed in comparison with other forms of tourism. Such a state is due to several factors. Firstly, beautiful Adriatic coast and islands have been the major place of development since the late 19th century. Secondly, low altitude (the highest peak is 1787 masl) has not allowed extensive development of winter ski resorts. Today, just two such resorts work on economic base. However, since Croatia has become independent, some development projects have been proposed. For example, 15 new ski resorts are planned to be built, mostly in area protected by the Government.
On the other hand, variety, of flora and fauna, beauties of Karst regions and, particularly during summertime, relatively easy access, are values that represent perfect resource for eco-tourism and adventure tourism, that could include local community and provide jobs in those undeveloped area. Therefore, the first step has been to define type of visitors, their needs, and currently existing problems and to propose directions of development. The most critical problems have been defined by comparison of current situation with other countries and field studies. Field studies have been conducted in places assumed to be most frequently visited, as same as those most interesting in terms of conservation or future tourism development. Spots of research have been on Velebit mountain, Medvednica, Zumberak and parts of Gorski Kotar region (National Park Risnjak and Strict reserve Bijele i Samarske stijene). Photo-documentation has been done in those regions, while research of type of visitors has been done on the Velebit Mountain only. It is chosen as the biggest mountain in Croatia (approx. 2 000 km2). Velebit mountain has the special place in Croatian culture as same as high tourist potential, high biodiversity and conservation value.
The questionnaire has had two parts: general questions about a visitor and visitor-mountain interaction. The questionnaire has been anonymous and voluntary. The only language of answering has been Croatian, with included bias towards foreign visitors. Period of a research has been through summertime only (from 22nd July till 1st September 1997), when the peak of visitor number occurs and access to place is the easiest (In other parts of a year access could be difficult or impossible exempt for experienced tour skiers or mountaineers). As in Walker´s (1997) survey, evaluation has been conducted on visitors perception in the "visitor-mountain interaction" part.
A questionnaire that involved approximately 200 people has been conducted. The aim has been to define a profile of users visiting a site, their needs and their behaviour. From the results of the survey environmentally critical spots have been pointed out such as illegal litter dumping. The majority of visitors have returned forms at Zavizan at Northern Velebit (172), the rest on NP Paklenica (Southern Velebit) (4) and Radlovac at Central Velebit mountain (6). The most of users have came from urban areas, mainly from Zagreb 39 % (capital and the biggest city in Croatia) where about 25% of population live. Industrial town of Rijeka is on the second place with 18% visitors. Just 3% of visitors are form town Split (The second biggest in Croatia). Exempt Zagreb and Split all other visitors live within 100 km from the place of survey.
All age groups have been presented, from 10 years till 83 years of age. However, the majority of visitors are younger than 60, with rapid decrease in number of visitors of older age. Visitors in their forties and twenties have been the most represented.
Differently than age groups, sexes have been almost equally represented, although men have outnumbered women slightly (54% of men and 46% of women out of 182 people that answered the question).
School students have represented 11% of examined population, while university students have taken the second place with another 11%. Retired people counted for 9% of visitors. Other professions have been nearly equally represented with exemption of business people (7%) and electric technicians (4%).
Divided by the level of education (primary, high school, college and university levels), the majority of visitors have obtained high and university degrees. (73 high school, 56 university High school students have been excluded from this analysis while university and college students reported the last finished degree -high school.
In the second type of questions the relation visitor-mountain has been examined. Visitors have been asked of frequency of visits to the mountains. Thus, 73 of them visit mountains several times a year, 46 nearly every weekend, 31 once a year, 17 once a month, while to 12 people it has been the first visit to the mountains ever.
Type of transportation has been considered as a vital factor that influences a structure of visitors and character of trips. Arrivals by car at the site of survey outnumbered other types of transport (110 visitors have arrived in that way). However, 43 people arrived on foot (means at least 2-4 hours of walk from a nearest settlement), 25 arrived by bus, (rented by a hiker's club or travel agency) and just three arrived by bike.
People have been asked to define the characteristics of mountains that inspire and attract them the most or which are, in their eyes considered to be of highest value. Several answers have been offered with the "other" option. Multiple answers have been given per person. Thus, the most attractive beauties in mountains are fresh air (18%), view points and beautiful view (16%), peace and quietness (16%), forests (14%), Karst morphology, such as rock and caves (12%), plants - endemic and rare species, medical plants (10%). Even 6 % answered "all of mentioned".
Duration of stay in mountains has been considered, too. Majority of visitors stayed for a day only and the rest stayed up to 5 days. However, several exemptions have been observed, even six visitors have spent 2o days in mountains, while two spent 40 days. Those were older people (retired) with long mountaineering and hiking experience. Due to lack of facilities such as hotels, running and hot water, as same as need for physical ability and experience for hiking, longer accommodation is very inconvenient in such places for majority of people. On the other hand, such vacations require very small budget.
Since early days of mountaineering in Croatia members of the association have considered themselves not just common visitors of mountains or tourist. Aims of mountaineering have not been just to enjoy beautiful views and places, but to explore, research and concord unknown areas. Today, a classic mountaineering has been replaced partially by eco-tourism, trekking and tourism. This, social change, has been connected with easier approach to once hostile and far regions, available by new roads, modern transportation and gear. Croatian mountains, of relatively low altitudes are very sensitive to such change. However, in spite of that in still relatively unknown part of Velebit slightly more of half visitors called themselves "mountaineers" and are members of The Croatian Mountaineering Union.
Visitors arriving to mountains on foot and behaving according to The Croatian Mountaineering Union recommendations do have practically no impact on environment. Tourists arriving by motor vehicles disturb animals and pollute air. Reported impact of influence of tourist to the mountain environment date in early 30s, when rapid diminishing of mountain flora has been reported (Papeš, 1985). Due to long term education of public and visitors by the Croatian Mountaineering Union and scientists, this problem, although still existent is becoming of less importance. The results of this survey show that new problem arose in past few decades, as the most important influence of tourist observed are hips of litter next to roads and illegal dumping sites. The biggest dumping sites have been observed next to Mountaineering house at Zavizan, at Štirovaca, next to village Krasno, and by the road Sveti Juraj - Senj.
Origins of these sites are various, but sites next to Krasno and by the road Sveti Juraj - Senj are completely unmanaged dumping sites of local communities. Dumping site at Štirovaca is common act of forest workers and visitors, while at Zavizan is due the litter left by visitors and mountaineers. Management of sites and cleaning up is not planned and no research has been done about possible influence of such at drinking water and human health in that pollution sensitive area. It is not surprising matter that more than half of visitors have noticed litter and majority have defined exact locations.
Litter problem is not specific just to the Velebit Mountain; actually it is more rule than an exemption for the most of mountains in Croatia. In this survey litter has been observed, exempt on Velebit on Zumberak, Medvednica and Gorski Kotar region.
To conclude: today the biggest impact of tourism on mountain environment in Croatia is litter on inappropriate places. Dumping sites are literally everywhere and this is a problem of which neither visitors, local government of public are aware. In spite of a long-history of natural sciences research in the mountain environment implementation and conservation in field is poor; as many protected areas are not managed properly there is an urge for interdisciplinary research and conservation, which is situation similar to that in other Central European countries, as reported by Price (1995).
References :
Papeš Bozica: Zaštita prirode i planinarstvo u Hrvatskoj, Diplomski rad, Sveucilište u Zagrebu 1985.
Walker Scott: Ecotourism Demand and Supply in El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas, Mexico 1997.
Price, M. F. Mountain Research in Europe, Man and the Biosphere Series, V. 14, UNESCO, Paris 1995.
Acknowledgements: I would like to thank Mr. Ante Vukušic, a meteorologist and housekeeper of Zavizan mountaineering house on help in field survey and information provided. To Mr. Vladimir Mesearic, Mr. Neven Petrovic and Ms. Bozica Papeš on support and ideas, as same as Dr. Thomas Schaaf, Mr. Walker Scott, Mr. Stephen Roberts for information provided by e-mail through Mountain Forum. Special thanks to Mr. Ulf Carlsson, for information about research and Mountain Forum Discussion List, and last, but not the least, to Ms. Elizabeth Byers for support and tips.
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Notes to readers
This paper is a case study on Influence of Tourist Activities on Mountain Regions. A Mountain Forum e-conference on Community-based Mountain Tourism. April 13- May 18 1998.