PRIELBRUSYE NATIONAL PARK ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES DUE TO INCREASING TOURISM ACTIVITY

Cherkasova A.A. Iurmanov A.A. Kokane P. Maslakov A.A. Petkovich M. Petrushina M.N. Tabelinova A. Tolipov A. Yakubov G. Yushina Y.
2022 Russian Geographical Society

Geography, Environment, Sustainability
2022 #15 Issue 4 115 - 123 pp.

Prielbrusye National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Russia. In recent years internal tourism development, stimulated by restrictive measures (due to the COVID pandemic and geopolitical situation), resulted in significant growth of tourist flow to the national park’s territory. A surge in anthropogenic load on the park’s geosystems might degrade them and lead to environmental pollution. This research involved chemical studies of natural waters and snow from the south slope of the Elbrus and audit of the most popular tourist trails. The results have shown that in the snow alongside mountain hiking pistes to the Elbrus all the way up to 4,720 m above sea level (a.s.l.) oil stains concentration is up to 38 times higher than maximum acceptable concentration (MAC). Content analysis of heavy metals in snow cover on the Elbrus slopes and in the river Baksan has shown a significant rise in lead load over the period of 2015–2021 from the trace levels to 1.5 MAC, which is the result of increased anthropogenic load on the south slope of the Elbrus mountain. Ground observation of touristtrails has brought to light numerous patches of vegetation trampling, width extension and branching of the main trail, as well as campfire sites. The research results can be used as a rationale to take measures to reduce recreational load, to improve localgeosystems’ condition and to develop a plan of action on nature conservation within the park’s territory.

Caucasus , Elbrus , Environmental protection , Prielbrusye National Park , Tourism

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Main Botanical Garden named after N. V. Tsitsin RAS, st.Botanicheskaya, 4, Moscow, 127276, Russian Federation
Department of Geography, University of Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400098, India
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography, Leninskie Gory, 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg, 16, Belgrade, 11158, Serbia
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Kazakhstan Branch, Faculty of Geography, st. Kazhymukan, 11, Nur-Sultan, 010010, Kazakhstan
Institute of Geography and Water Security, st. Kabanbai batyr/Pushkin, 67/99, Almaty, 050010, Kazakhstan

All-Russian non-governmental organization Russian Geographical Society
Main Botanical Garden named after N. V. Tsitsin RAS
Department of Geography
Lomonosov Moscow State University
University of Belgrade
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Institute of Geography and Water Security

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