Environmental impact assessment of mountain tourism in developing regions: A study in Ladakh, Indian Himalaya

Journal Article · Wed Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Environmental Impact Assessment Review

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2009.01.003· OSTI ID:21364585

Geneletti, Davide ^[1]; Dawa, Dorje ^[1]

---

1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77, 38050 Trento (Italy)

Mountain tourism in developing countries is becoming a growing environmental concern due to extreme seasonality, lack of suitable infrastructures and planning, and interference with fragile ecosystems and protected areas. This paper presents a study devoted to assess the adverse environmental impacts of tourism, and in particular of trekking-related activities, in Ladakh, Indian Himalaya. The proposed approach is based on the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) modeling and remote sensing imageries to cope with the lack of data that affect the region. First, stressors associated with trekking, and environmental receptors potentially affected were identified. Subsequently, a baseline study on stressors (trail use, waste dumping, camping, pack animal grazing and off-road driving) and receptors (soil, water, wildlife, vegetation) was conducted through field work, data collection, and data processing supported by GIS. Finally, impacts were modeled by considering the intensity of the stressors, and the vulnerability and the value of the receptors. The results were spatially aggregated into watershed units, and combined to generate composite impact maps. The study concluded that the most affected watersheds are located in the central and southeastern part of Ladakh, along some of the most visited trails and within the Hemis and the Tsokar Tsomoriri National parks. The main objective of the study was to understand patterns of tourism-induced environmental degradation, so as to support mitigation interventions, as well as the development of suitable tourism policies.

• OSTI ID: 21364585
• Journal Information: Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Vol. 29, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2009.01.003; PII: S0195-9255(09)00020-1; Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; ISSN 0195-9255
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
DATA PROCESSING
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
INDIA
MITIGATION
MOUNTAINS
PLANNING
PLANTS
REMOTE SENSING
SIMULATION
SOILS
TOURISM
VULNERABILITY
WATER
WATERSHEDS
ASIA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DOCUMENT TYPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING