Go straight to the lesson plan
There are several environmental issues currently affecting the Alps:
Also: the decline of traditional practises such as transhumance, as farmers look to gain money from tourism rather than from farming.
Several factors are endangering the Alpine ecosystem, especially the valleys, major passes, and areas bordering urban centers. In recent decades, the Alps have become a magnet for tourism, attracting 100 million visitors a year. Tourism has been an economic boon to many of the 13 million residents of 6,123 Alpine municipalities stretching across seven countries; it also has contributed to congestion, pollution, and over-development in many areas. While the Alpine passes have always been major transit points for north-south trade, the volume of traffic has grown exponentially since 1970. Transport of goods on Alpine roads has increased from 28 million tons in 1970 to over 110 million in 1996--with a further 50% increase expected by 2005.
Notable progress has been made in recent years to preserve the Alpine environment. Over the last decade, Germany, Austria, France and Italy have created 11 national Alpine parks, 38 regional parks, 17 biospheres, and 122 large conservation areas. But park creation and expansion remains a highly controversial subject, often pitting local, national, and supra-national officials against each other. Two recent examples, one in Austria's Lechtal, the other in Switzerland's Engadine, demonstrate the often tense political dynamics involved.
More difficult to quantify is the impact of climatic changes on what is inherently a fragile and unstable landscape. Several research studies indicate that global warming may have a far-reaching impact the Alpine ecosystem as well as economic activity in the region.
Skiing - issues regarding clearance of trees to make pistes, building of hotels and amenities, improving road access to remote areas.
Problems with building facilities for Olympics: e.g bobsleigh run kept frozen using liquid nitrogen - risk of escape of gas: local people issued with gasmasks.
Visit ALPINE TRAVELERS for lots of detail on environmental themes. (URL updated January 2004)
The VANOISE National Park has an English version of the pages.
Issues include the melting of permafrost areas which affects structures built into the ground such as ski lifts.
High levels of pollution in Alps. Partly due to high levels of traffic.
High levels of traffic using tunnels under Alps. A recent fire closed one of the tunnels, with a noticeable improvement in air quality as a result. Lobby to restrict use of the tunnel to cars, and have freight moved by train instead.
There's an article HERE which argues against opening the tunnel. There's also a petition at the CyberAlps site (see below)
A whole series of ALPINE INITIATIVES against traffic can be found HERE.
An article here: THE ALPS SUFFOCATE too. This has some excellent images and some useful data and statistics. A more complex report on TransAlpine traffic is also available from the same address.
A general report on the value of the Alps can be found at this Austrian site HERE. It sets out just why we need to protect the landscape of the Alps. Be careful when looking for information that you don't confuse this area with the Australian Alps, or the Southern Alps in New Zealand.
More information on activities in the Alps: fold mountains HERE.
Relevant textbooks:
'Places': pp.70-73
'Interactions': Italy section: covers Val d'Aosta area and the effects of skiing development
'Geographical Magazine': Issue on Alps: a very useful resource, but one that most of you won't have to hand.
Head up a blank page in your exercise book: Managing the Alps
Notes from OHT
1. Using the outline map of the Alps which you have been given, identify the following features:
A-F: countries which are at least partly occupied by the Alps
1-4 mountains: shown by black triangles
Cities: shown by circles
3 Italian lakes
(Use map from Geographical Magazine article for detail..)
2. Read pp. 70-1 in 'Places' - do questions 1 & 2
then, read pp. 72-3: Make 2 lists: one of the benefits that tourist developments bring to the valley, and one of the problems that are created
3. Visit the following websites which look at the problems facing the Alps:
A National Geographic article here. Another magazine article HERE.
4. Read THIS ARTICLE by the BBC's Alex Kirby, and answer the following questions in full sentences:
a) How many visitors are there to the Alps each year ?
b) What threats have been noticed by the WWF ?
c) What should the 'thoughtful tourist' aim to do ?
5. Go to BBC News site and do a SEARCH using the words 'Alps' and 'problems' - read some of the articles that are produced by the search and try to fill in the table below:
| ISSUE | PROBLEMS BEING CREATED |
| Safety in road tunnels |
|
| Melting permafrost
|
|
| Biodiversity: e.g wolves, wild flowers
|
|
| Avalanches
|
|
| Flooding
|
|
| Cable car safety
|
Add any other problems you feel are important.
Watch out for the Alpine stages of the Tour de France too each year. Some great scenery can be videoed...
Also video available based on Livigno in the Channel 4 Italia series.
May 2005
I have produced a sheet to help students access the information contained in this video. The area of Livigno has undergone tremendous change within the lifetime of the people featured in the video. Download the sheet HERE.
http://web.channel4.com/learning/main/netnotes//programid1458.htm - has some programme notes. This will also allow access to the other programmes.
