Environmental Impacts Associated with Ski Resorts: New possibilities for improved design standards

Bc. Jan Černý

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The purpose of the thesis is an outline of a sustainable framework for future development of ski resorts in the Giant Mountains, Czech Republic (Krkonoše in Czech). This required first a detailed study of possible alternatives in relation to the local climatic trends, focusing on the velocity and magnitude of change of snow cover in the area. Snow cover is a sine qua non for ski resorts, which is why it is the main focus of this study. Three key snow variables were defined for the ends of the study: total seasonal depth of snow cover, seasonal number of days with snow cover, and seasonal maximum depth of snow cover. The data used for processing were obtained from the digital database (CLIDATA) of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ); additional historical data were collected from the ČHMÚ archives. The research included 23 weather stations. Missing data were interpolated from neighboring stations. The results were plotted for the period 1961-2018; a decreasing trend was found in all the three snow-cover variables. Based on the results, the author proposes in theory an adequate strategy of adaptation, and offers a comprehensive diagram explaining the need for a combination of adaptive and sustainable strategies. The other branch of the paradigm tries to map out all the stakeholders in the process, i.e. the Krkonoše National Park Authority, local community, land owners, investors, ski resorts, etc. The main ambition of the thesis is a proposal of a combination of adaptive and sustainable strategies to define a framework and guidelines for sustainable ski resorts in the Czech Republic. Last but not least, the thesis should contribute to the mapping of snow cover in the Krkonoše.

Keywords

snow, snow cover, snow depth, climate change, Giant Mountains, ski resorts, sustainable strategies, adaptable strategies, environmental impact assessment, interpolation of snow records, ČHMÚ

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 24. 4. 2019

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedúci: doc. Peter Kumble, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Master programme / odbor:
Landscape Engineering / Landscape Planning