The Dangers of Tourism on Mountain

Environments

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Litlefjellet, Romsdal Mountains in Norway. (Oyvind Heen/Fjords.com)

A Global Environment Facility Report

Amanda Poteate
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Contents

Abstract 2

Impacts of Tourist Exploitation on Mountain Habitats 2

Air Pollution 2

Water Pollution and Complications 3

Destruction of Critical Landscape 3

Current and Potential Measures to Reduce Harmful Mountain

Tourism 4

Education Comes First 4

Environmentally-Conscious Organizations 4

Government Regulation 5

Global Standards can Prevent Harmful Tourism and Help Resolve

Current Issues 5

Individual Contributions 5

Sustainable Development and a Promising Future 5

Conclusion 5

References 6

Figures

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Figure 2 4
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Abstract

Mountains cover one-fifth of the Earth’s land surface and stretch to places we can’t even
imagine in the ocean depths. the deep of the ocean. They are sights of beauty and danger.
Despite the cold climate at the peaks, mountains are home to diverse spheres of plants and
animals. They provide half the world’s population with water from snow and ice runoff into
rivers (WWF). Mountains provide raw materials, rich organic diversity, and home to over 800
million people (Mountain Planet). Humans across time have been drawn to nature’s giants.
Hundreds of millions of tourists travel to mountainous regions for vacations each year, and that
number is only growing. When levels of human visitation exceed the natural constraints of that
environment, animals, plants, and components of nature are disrupted and ruined. This influx
of human traffic across such a sensitive ecosystem is destructive in more ways than one; the
world’s mountains are in danger of becoming barren mounds in a few years from the
destruction this tourism leaves behind.

Over the past few decades, mountains have been considerably affected by air pollution –
influencing the global warming effect in particular. This raise in heat is draining mountain
habitats of water supply, with glaciers melting in faster rates than ever. What water supply is
salvageable is already incredibly sensitive to pollution, since mountain rivers and lakes are
“naturally poor in nutrients” (Mountain Planet). Restoring vegetation cover could help protect
mountain watersheds, but the raise in tourism contributes to deforestation, land clearing, and
increased human traffic. Mountain tourism also forces animals out of their habitats, promoting
loss of native species. Allowing over-tourism to run rampant in mountainous regions (as well as
everywhere else) puts our generations on a one-way road to destroying what crucial
ecosystems we have left.

Impacts of Tourist Exploitation on Mountain Habitats

Air Pollution
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Most people think of the mountains and surrounding park areas as places to get a breath of
fresh, clean air away from bustling city life. On the contrary, air pollution in mountainous
regions is worsening to unprecedented levels. Tourist activity is usually found in small,
concentrated areas that become funnels for pollution and waste. More visitors vacationing to
these ideal destinations directly influence a rise in energy consumption and subsequent carbon
emissions (Huffpost).
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Visible air pollution in Chamonix, France. (PollutionAirMask.com)

88% of the U.S. National Parks are experiencing levels of air pollution that harm native flora and
fauna – nitrogen deposited from rain in Rocky Mountain National Park is destroying the
flowering plant population. Huge sources of air pollution include “coal burning, transportation,
and oil/gas development.” Levels of air pollution in multiple U.S. national parks raise to
dangerous levels during the summer – prime tourist season for these areas (Smithsonian).
Dangerous pollutants in the air are seriously harmful to plants, animals, and humans
everywhere, yet we continue to funnel obscene amounts of harmful particles into our
atmosphere every day.

Water Pollution and Complications

Mountain water reserves are in critical danger of two different types of harm – pollution and
complete loss. Melting glaciers and snowcaps worldwide from global warming and climate
change threaten loss of water supply, while water pollution contaminates what we do have and
makes otherwise safe drinking water dangerous. Mountain tourist industries play a key role in
exhausting the worlds’ already compromised water supply. Overcrowding during prime tourist
season depletes available water reserves while conducting further water pollution. Harmful
pollutants find their way to water primarily from air pollution – “the equivalent of 200 train cars
of sulfuric acid falls over national park surfaces every year” (NPS). Tourist activity increases air
and water pollutants with higher levels of energy usage, transportation, and general
carelessness. Mountain watersheds are also in danger of emptying from loss of vegetation
cover (Mountain Planet) – another direct result of human traffic.

Destruction of Critical Landscape

Human traffic in general requires clearing of land for construction, traffic, leisure activities, and
more. Tourism calls for all of these factors at higher levels than normal to handle the large
number of visitors, especially during busy seasons (for mountain regions in the United States,
this is typically summer). Clearing areas for human usage kills off vital plant-life and reduces
the ever-decreasing amount of forested land on the globe. Not only does this loss of wild flora
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increase soil erosion, but it also affects mountain-native animals; countless species lose their
habitats when land is cleared for construction and leisure. The animals that do survive often
end up dangerously close to humans.

Current and Potential Measures to Reduce Harmful Mountain

Tourism

Education Comes First

Change starts with the individual and grows into larger influence. Educating the general
traveling public on making environmentally conscious choices is the first step towards lessening
harmful effects of tourism. The Feminist Globetrotter website has an article that outlines
individual choices to make traveling less dangerous on the environment, with tips including
researching the destination, being mindful of transportation and general waste, and helping
local natives by supporting their handiwork and respecting cultural diversity. When it comes to
mountainous regions, travelers should be educated both on respecting the land and animals
and the harmful effects of over-tourism in the region. Vandalizing, littering, and venturing off
trail are only a few seemingly insignificant actions that take a permanent toll on mountain
regions – all actions that can be stopped in the individual. Conscious visitors make for less of a
footprint on mountain environments and help tackle dangers at the core.

Santa Monica Mountains, California. (Yoseki Skywalker)

Environmentally-Conscious Organizations

Companies that prosper off of tourist activity are logically the next step in enacting mountain
preservation measures. Many tourist organizations have already made progress towards
reducing the effects of their influx of visitors. Some of these measures include recycling,
reducing single-use plastics, water and energy conservation, and erosion management
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(Huffpost). Ideally, the tourism market should be leading travelers with sustainable options and
general education on trips. Organizations that take initiative in protecting mountain regions
can help influence their customers with environmentally-conscious choices. These companies
are in the forefront of sustainable tourism, attempting to reduce their overall effect on the
environment while still prospering.

Government Regulation

How are these individual and corporate actions to be enforced? Government involvement with
company and travelling standards would be sure to make an impact on environmental issues in
mountains globally. Similar to the requirements power companies have on reporting and
reducing carbon emissions, a set of goals to save and protect mountainous regions is needed to
control the negative effects of over-tourism. By holding tourist companies to a higher standard
for sustainability, governments and similar global organizations can hold the tourist industry
accountable for havoc wreaked on sensitive environments.

Global Standards can Prevent Harmful Tourism and Help Resolve

Current Issues

Individual Contributions

Keeping educated on how travelling can negatively impact the environment, along with the
importance and sensitivity of mountainous regions, is a responsibility that all tourists should
uphold. If the average individual is knowledgeable of their environmental impact and how to
reduce it while vacationing, every person can do their part to keep sensitive mountain biomes
safe and prospering. I propose that the Global Environment Facility work towards setting
higher standards for worldwide tourist education on the negative effects of reckless vacationing
practices to ensure a safe future for our mountain ranges.

Sustainable Development and a Promising Future

Organizational initiative and government involvement go hand in hand – more than likely, large
companies will make financial choices to save the most money and make the most profit. On
the contrary, sustainable choices can also be affordable and pay off in the long run for both
organization and surrounding nature. Governments can help reduce misconduct in
organizations if sustainable tourism is a lawful standard to enforce. I also propose that the
Global Environment Facility makes effort towards lobbying for tourist organizations to be
expected to follow government-approved guidelines for sustainable practices and
development. It is up to global power to ensure action is taken and standards are consistently
upheld.
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Conclusion

Tourism is not always a bad thing, and people don’t have to stop travelling to save the Earth –
but smarter choices need to be made. Over-tourism runs rampant in areas that cannot
physically sustain such a mass of people, and mountain habitats are destroyed in the process.
Focusing on the individual, the industry, and the government is an all-encompassing plan to
tackle all levels of the issue and ensure everyone does their part to save mountain areas.
Global action is necessary for dire changes to save the Earth and its places of beauty.
Mountains alone provide a source of water, biodiversity, and allure. The earth must be
protected in order to enjoy it – without drastic change, the sources of tourism itself will
disappear. Ironic that the we are ruining the very places we revere so much. People have been
cherishing the benefits of these unique regions for centuries. Are we going to be the
generation that sees them destroyed?
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References

“A Snow Ski Mecca Has an Air Pollution Problem so Bad It's Making People Sick.” Pollution
Air Mask, 30 Jan. 2017, www.pollutionairmask.com/a-snow-ski-mecca-has-an-air-
pollution-problem-so-bad-its-making-people-sick/.

“Mountains.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, July 2019,

www.worldwildlife.org/habitats/mountains.

Barrow, Mandy. “The Mountain Environment.” Facts about Mountains for Kids, Primary
Homework Help, 2013, www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/mountains.htm.

Daley, Jason. “Significant Air Pollution Plagues Almost All U.S. National Parks.”
Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 9 May 2019, www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-
news/signficant-air-pollution-plagues-almost-all-us-national-parks-180972141/.

Kristen. “How to Reduce the Negative Impacts of Tourism: Feminist Globetrotter.” The Feminist
Globetrotter, 26 Oct. 2018, feministglobetrotter.com/negative-impacts-tourism/.

Lombard, Darryl. “The Impact of Tourism in Mountain Ecosystems.” Lorton Consulting RSS,
Lorton Consulting, 2013, tourismplanningprofessionals.com/?p=267.

Planet, Mountain. “Environmental Issues Faced by Mountains During the 21st Century.”
Mountain Planet, Mountain Planet Pty Ltd, 3 Jan. 2017,
mountainplanet.com/blog/environmental-issues-faced-by-mountains-during-the-21st-
century-1968.

Randle, David, and Reese Halter. “The Tourism Crisis: Impacts and Solutions.” HuffPost, 7 Dec.
2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/the-tourism-crisis-impact_b_3900503.

Smith, Jen. “Water Quality - Smoky Mountains.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of
the Interior, 17 Aug. 2015, www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/water-quality.htm.