ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE ON EUROPE’S MOUNTAIN AREAS
Chapter 5: Environmental pressure on Europe’s
mountain areas
In this chapter we will examine the environmental issues facing two of
Europe’s mountain areas: the Cairngorms in Scotland and Chamonix in
the French Alps.
Case Study: The Cairngorms
The Cairngorms is an area of spectacular mountain scenery in Scotland.
The Cairngorms was chosen to be Scotland’s second National Park in
2003. This was because it is a very fragile environment and, like our
other case studies, lots of people use the Cairngorms in different ways
leading to environmental pressure.
The Cairngorms is located in northern Scotland, 9 miles from the town
of Aviemore. It covers an area of 3,800 square kilometres and is home
to 16,000 people.
The location of the Cairngorms mountain area is shown on the map on
the next page.
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Figure 18: The Cairngorms
Inverness
Aviemore
Cairngorm
Mountain
Perth
Glasgow
Edinburgh
Factfile
 Four of Scotland’s five highest mountains are in the Cairngorms
National Park.
 Three river valleys are found in the park; those of the rivers Spey,
Don and Dee.
 Protected birds, such as the golden eagle, osprey, dotterel, ptarmigan
and capercaillie, are found in the Cairngorms.
 Other wildlife such as pine martins, deer, red squirrels, wildcats and
otters live in the Park.
 Up to 500,000 tourists a year visit the National Park.
 Eighty per cent of the economy is based on tourism.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE ON EUROPE’S MOUNTAIN AREAS
Environmental pressure from land use
Environmental issues facing the Cairngorms are related to the ways in
which humans use the landscape. The land is high so not a lot of
people live here because it is difficult to build on. However, there are
lots of other ways in which to use a mountain landscape.
Shooting sports, such as deer stalking
Lots of deer that roam in the Cairngorms National
Park. Species of deer include red deer, roe deer,
sika deer and reindeer. The deer have caused
conflict in the Cairngorms.
Large numbers of deer can cause environmental damage. Deer damage
the plant life by trampling and eating small trees that have been
replanted. Deer can also eat crops and can cause accidents on roads.
Conservationists think that the number of deer should be reduced.
However, there are lots of jobs created by the shooting sports industry
in the Cairngorms and people pay landowners lots of money to come on
shooting holidays. Moreover, breeds like the reindeer attract tourists
and make money for the area.
Forestry
There are lots of natural forests in the Cairngorms
National Park. Glenmore is a forest park in the
National Park boundaries. Glenmore attracts lots of
bird watchers who come to see rare species, like the
Capercaillie.
However, money can be made in mountainous areas by growing trees
and cutting them down to sell for timber. These trees are often not
native to the area and are planted in unattractive large blocks.
Conservationists think that these trees should not be grown in this area
because wildlife habitats are being destroyed. However, the
landowners make lots of money from selling the timber from the felled
trees.
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Farming
Most of the farming in the Cairngorms National Park is
hill sheep farming. This is because the land is often
steep, the soil is poor and the climate is not good for
growing crops.
Sheep graze on the hillside and some argue that this destroys the unique
vegetation of the Cairngorms. Conservationists think that some areas
should not have sheep grazing and should be left so the vegetation
grows.
Activity 25
In your job as manager of the National Park you have to solve conflicts
that take place between people who use the land.
Farming
Forestry
CONFLICTS
Deer stalking
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Using the diagram and the information given about each land use , think
of solutions to the conflicts in the Cairngorms National Park.
Deer stalking
Forestry
Farming
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Environmental pressure from tourism
Tourism is a growing industry in the Cairngorms as
people are attracted by the spectacular scenery. People
also come to use the landscape in a variety of different
ways. The cold climate and high altitude means that in
the winter months there is heavy snowfall. This
climate is ideal for winter sports such as skiing and
snowboarding.
Activity 26
List all the outdoor activities that people can do in the Cairngorms
National Park.
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Impact of tourism
Some people think that too many tourists could cause serious problems
in the Cairngorms. Conservationists believe that if the Park is not
managed properly then people could damage it for future generations.
Damage could be caused by:





too many hill walkers and skiers wearing away the footpaths
tourists leaving litter and rubbish behind
trampling of fragile plants by walkers and skiers
disturbance of wildlife, like the ptarmigan and dotterel
tourist developments cause visual pollution, spoiling the natural
beauty of the area
 more cars leading to air pollution and traffic jams.
More tourists are attracted to the Cairngorms because it has become a
National Park. One development that has caused a lot of argument is
the funicular railway, built in 2001. The diagram on the next page
shows the plan for the railway and other tourist attractions. It also
shows the opinions of different groups on whether or not the railway is
a good development.
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Figure 19: The funicular railway
The railway was built so that tourists could get to the top of Cairngorm
in all kinds of weather. It was hoped that it would also attract more
tourists in the summer months. There is a new 250-seat restaurant,
information centre, ski centre and more car-parking space included in
the new development.
It would be good for the economy of the local area because it will bring
in more tourists, which mean more money being spent in shops, hotels
and restaurants. It will also make more jobs in the area.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE ON EUROPE’S MOUNTAIN AREAS
Activity 27
Use Figure 19 to help you list as many advantages and disadvantages of
the new funicular development in the Cairngorms National Park .
Advantages
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Disadvantages
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What has been done?
The European Union
The EU thinks that mountain environments need to be protected. The
Cairngorms is a Special Area of Conservation and a Special
Protection Area. More than 20 countries in the EU have agreed that
mountain environments are very fragile and must be protected.
The National Park Authority
The National Park aims to protect the environment of the Cairngorms,
but also to attract visitors to enjoy it.
The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 has four main aims:
 To protect and improve the natural beauty of the area
 To make sure that people using the Cairngorms for forestry, fa rming
or shooting use it in a way that will not harm the environment
 To make sure that the public know how special and fragile the
environment is
 To make sure that any development in the Park is sustainable and
will not waste the Cairngorms for future generations.
Environmental pressure groups
The Cairngorms Campaign was set up in 1996 to make sure that the
Cairngorms was being used and damaged by any new development.
This voluntary group works with landowners, local authorities and the
National Park managers to make sure that they are all looking after the
best interests of the Cairngorms.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE ON EUROPE’S MOUNTAIN AREAS
Case Study: Chamonix Mount Blanc, the Alps
Chamonix Mount Blanc is located in the north-west region of the Alps
mountain range. It is 15 kilometres from the border with Switzerland
and at the foot of Mount Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.
Figure 20: Location of Chamonix in France
Chamonix and
Mount Blanc
Source: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/fr.html
The town of Chamonix is located along the valley floor of the Arve
River. It is ideal for visiting the famous ‘Mer de Glace’ glacier, the
second longest river of ice that flows through the Alps.
Chamonix is one of the largest mountain tourist resorts in the world.
The population of the town is 10,000 but this number can rise to 60,000
in the tourist season.
There are six main skiing areas with slopes for beginners and experts.
There are 62 ski lifts that take skiers up to the top of the slopes.
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The resort has grown since the 1950s as more and more people have
become interested in winter sports, like skiing. There are lots of
facilities for tourists including hotels, cafés and restaurants, bars, shops
and nightclubs.
Activity 28
Design a advertisement for a travel agent’s window about a holiday in
Chamonix Mount Blanc. Make sure you add information on the
location and all the things that tourists can do at the resort.
Environmental pressure from tourism
Due to the increase in tourism in the area, the resort of Chamonix
Mount Blanc has grown very quickly and as a result there is increasing
pressure on the fragile mountain environment.
Visual pollution
Visual pollution means that too much development is ruining the
natural look of an area. People argue that the Alps are one of the most
scenic mountain landscapes in the world and too much development is
spoiling this beauty.
The new hotels, roads, holiday homes, chairlifts and golf course have
changed the character of Chamonix from a sleepy mountain village into
a busy tourist resort. Some people think that if the scenery is spoiled
too much then tourists will not visit anymore, which could mean that
the resort will lose money and lead to people losing their jobs.
Deforestation
Deforestation means trees are being cut down. They are being cut down
so that new developments can be built for tourists. However , this can
have dangerous effects. Trees are very important in mountain resorts a s
they hold soil together on hill sides. This means that snow and ice can
not slip down the mountainside. However, when the trees are taken
away there is no barrier and snow can very easily slip down the
mountain, causing an avalanche.
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In 1999 there was a serious avalanche in the Chamonix Valley. The
avalanche swept through the valley and killed 11 people and destroyed
18 chalets.
Noise and air pollution
Traffic in the Chamonix valley has increased because new roads have
been built. The Mount Blanc tunnel, which was opened in 1965, is a
very busy road and around 45,000 lorries a year pass through it. The
tunnel makes it easier for traffic to pass through the Alps but it means
that there is increased noise and air pollution in the valley.
Activity 29
1.
Use the words in the word bank to complete the sentences below.
It is said the __________ on slopes has turned a dirty ________
colour because of the increased ____________ from traffic
_______________.
Too much air pollution also leads to increased
____________________ which means that in the future there may
not be as much _______________ in the Alps. This could be
disastrous for the ___________________ industry in a resort like
Chamonix. The tourists would stay away and there would be a
loss of __________ and people may_______________.
Word bank
grey
snow
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move away
snowfall
pollution
jobs
winter sports
global warming
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exhausts
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURE ON EUROPE’S MOUNTAIN AREAS
Figure 21: Changes in an Alpine resort
Alpine landscape 1950
Alpine landscape 2000
Source: C Clark, 2001, Intermediate Geography
2.
Describe the changes that have taken place in the Alpine mountain
landscape between 1950 and 2000.
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3.
Examine the diagram below.
List the advantages and disadvantages of the development of a
mountain resort like Chamonix.
Figure 22: An alpine environment
Source: SQA
Advantages
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Disadvantages
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What can be done?
The European Union
The EU now says that before any new development takes place, an
Environmental Impact Assessment must be carried out. This means that
the EU looks at any damage the development may do to the
environment. If it thinks will be there too much damage then the
development will not be allowed to take place.
The EU has also made laws to limit the amount of pollution from
traffic.
The French government
In the resort of Chamonix there is a new traffic plan. This means that
traffic is now to be parked on the edge of the resort meaning that it is
easier to walk through the town on foot.
There is also free public transport in Chamonix which means that
people are using their cars less. This will l ead to less pollution.
The government has also started to build a new rail link which means
that there will be less heavy goods lorries on the road.
Environmental groups
Environmental groups have been campaigning to make sure that the
development in the area is not harming the fragile mountain
environment. They make sure that local people know what damage can
be caused by unplanned development.
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Comparison: The Cairngorms and Chamonix Mount Blanc
Activity 30
1.
In the space below write about:



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The location of each mountain area
Main features of each mountain area
Any similarities or differences between them
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2.
Describe the impact of tourism on the Cairngorms and Chamonix
Mount Blanc. Write about:


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What the attractions of each area are
The benefits of tourism
Disadvantages caused by tourism
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3.
What is being done to ease environmental pressure in the
Cairngorms and Chamonix Mount Blanc? Write about:



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The EU
The National Park and the French government
Environmental groups
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4.
How successful do you think these groups of people will be in
reducing environmental pressure in the Cairngorms and in
Chamonix Mount Blanc? Write about:


Which actions will best to reduce pressure
Why you think this
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