Impacts and management of hikers in Kavkazsky State Biosphere Reserve, Russia.

Abstract

This paper describes hiker impacts, recreational capacity calculations and management measures for Kavkazsky State Biosphere Reserve, Russia, a part of the Western Caucasus World Heritage Area. It was found that mountain landscapes have particular characteristics, such as harsh climates and steep slopes, which affect the impacts of ecotourism and outdoor recreation. The impacts of recreational hikers in mountain landscapes are concentrated along linear routes, rather than spread out as in flatlands. Visitor management needs to consider key sites such as look-outs, rest stops and camp sites, as well as the location and maintenance of trails. In the Kavkazsky area, where many of the prime sites for mountain hikers are close to the dwarf birch forests, hikers should be required to carry stove or firewood and be forbidden to damage the birch forests. Since most mountain lakes and pools area oligotrophic, washing in pools should be forbidden. Minimal-impact education programmes are needed for all visitors.

The Functional Zoning of the Syr Darya River’s Delta

“…In some cases, certain subzones and/or sections can be allocated within the zones. They are needed primarily within a zone where exist specific problems of the territory use or protection [30,31].…”