Impacts of tourism development on the physical environment of Mussoorie,a hill station in the lower Himalayan range of India

作     者：Sangeeta SUNDRIYAL Vijay SHRIDHAR Sandeep MADHWAL Kamal PANDEY Vikram SHARMA 

作者机构：School of Environment&Natural ResourcesDoon UniversityDehradun-248001UtturakhandIndia Indian Institute of Remote SensingDehradun-248001UttarakhandIndia 

出 版 物：《Journal of Mountain Science》 (山地科学学报（英文）)

年 卷 期：2018年第15卷第10期

页      面：2276-2291页

核心收录：

学科分类：12[管理学] 0709[理学-地质学] 0819[工学-矿业工程] 08[工学] 0303[法学-社会学] 120203[管理学-旅游管理] 083001[工学-环境科学] 0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 1202[管理学-工商管理] 0818[工学-地质资源与地质工程] 0708[理学-地球物理学] 0705[理学-地理学] 0815[工学-水利工程] 0816[工学-测绘科学与技术] 0706[理学-大气科学] 0813[工学-建筑学] 0704[理学-天文学] 0833[工学-城乡规划学] 0713[理学-生态学] 0834[工学-风景园林学（可授工学、农学学位）] 

基　　金：Financial support provided to the first author from the Department of Science&Technology Government of India under grant DST/INSPIRE FELLOWSHIP/2012/558 

主　　题：Absorption capacity Analytical Hierarchy Process Geographic Information System Human interventions Landscape assessment Mountain Tourism Destination 

摘      要：Tourism in mountainous regions is a significant source of revenue generation. However, it has also been associated with many adverse environmental consequences. This study aims at assessing the negative impacts of the incessant upsurge in tourism development on the physical environment of Mussoorie, a well-known mountain tourist destination in India. The impact indicators for the region were identified and assessed by qualitative and quantitative analysis of field observations. The observations indicated the aggravation of traffic congestion, atmospheric pollution, undisposed solid waste, water scarcity and infrastructure unavailability as the prevalent issues, especially during the peak tourist months. The extent of the consequential damage to the environment was evaluated by conducting an assessment of tourism-induced human disturbance on the natural landscape of the town. Slope, slope aspect, vegetation cover, road network and drainage network were incorporated as thedetermining landscape attributes to prepare thematic maps of landscape quality(perceivable intrinsic properties) and landscape fragility(vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbances) using GIS technique. An absorption capacity map was finally prepared to characterize the study area into regions of different conservation needs. The results identified the need for planning appropriate preservation strategies for different tourist places in the town. The study can be used by the policy makers for implementing the regulatory measures against potential disturbances due to mass-tourism.