Ice on the Land Case Studies Mindmap
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- Created on: 13-02-17 10:14
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- Ice on the Land Case Studies
- Impacts of unreliable snowfall due to Climate change Chamonix
- Unreliable snowfall
- If tourism goes, lack of jobs may cause people to leave to search for work and young people may not return, causing rural deposition
- economy reliant on tourism income, so affected by unreliable snowfall and glacial retreat
- lack of money may cause maintenance in area to go to lax, se less picturesque, putting off tourists, which would damage the possibility of the area being revitalised
- Can lead to avalanches as the bonds between the layers of snow are not strong
- General information
- Increasing Alpine areas are experiencing unreliable snowfall
- which is deterring tourists from visiting tourist resorts where the risk or no/limited snowfall is greater
- Abondance is a ski resort which experienced 15 years of unreliable snowfall and was caused the town to close the ski lifts.
- which is deterring tourists from visiting tourist resorts where the risk or no/limited snowfall is greater
- Increasing Alpine areas are experiencing unreliable snowfall
- New development to manage the problem
- Snow cannons: these machines create snow for winter sports but damage the environment using huge volumes of water and are expensive to maintain.
- Diversification: resorts adapt to provide a series of acrtivities for tourists however this can harm fragile environments from road construction, deforestation ,overuse of slopes and increased levels of pollution
- Transport: ski lifts and transport routes are extended to make higher slopes where snow is still reliable/accessible. This damages the landscape and requires deforestation
- Due to natural retreat of glaciers many areas are very concerned about the survival of towns that rely on climate so much
- Snow cannons: these machines create snow for winter sports but damage the environment using huge volumes of water and are expensive to maintain.
- Unreliable snowfall
- Mer de Glace France
- What is happening?
- The Mer de Glace (sea of ice) is the second largest glacier in the Alps- it is 12km long and varies in width from 700m - 1950m (the average depth of the ice is 240m)
- The glacier has lost 70 metres in thickness during the last 20 years as it has retreated 7.5 metres on average every year
- What has caused this?
- Temperatures decreased in France by 1 degree Celsius, but in high altitude areas like the Alps, temperatures have decreased by 3 degrees Celsius.
- Winters have become more dry= less accumulation in the winter and the same amount (or more) of ablation in the winter
- What is happening?
- Tourism in an Alpine Area, Chamonix
- General Information
- receives 10,000 tourists a day in Summer, 60,000 tourists a day in Winter
- Winter activities: skiing, ice climbing, snow boarding, ice grotto
- Summer activities: rafting, sightseeing, canyoning, horse riding, climbing and hiking
- 16 villages and hamlets, population of 10,000
- receives 10,000 tourists a day in Summer, 60,000 tourists a day in Winter
- Negative impacts
- Puts pressure on a fragile environment (with more tourists, resorts push into 'wilderness' areas
- Congestion as roads narrow and number of cars increased
- inflated prices, to increase profit, so residents pay more for everyday itmes
- Conflict due to tourist damage and noise
- Managing Tourism
- Action taken to conserve area e.g. forest conservation and being careful with local water resources
- scientific programs developed to understand the progression of natural habitat within the valley
- Good public transport- clean/free buses with low carbon emissions
- The area promotes responsible tourism, balancing needs of tourists without compromising the environment
- Action taken to conserve area e.g. forest conservation and being careful with local water resources
- General Information
- Avalanche, Gultur Austria 1999
- Management of Avalabches
- Reforestation: trees can be planted, increased the stability of the slope and helping to reduce damage further down the valley.
- Explosions: Avalanches can be started deliberately in order to prevent snow building up.
- Communication: Signs of the risk of avalanches can be displayed in villages and also by the ski lifts. In the Alps the risk is accessed on a five-point scale. Areas can be sealed off which are considered too dangerous to ski on. Early warning systems are also used.
- Land use zoning: Land can be grouped into red, yellow and green areas. The red areas are considered too dangerous to be built on. The orange areas can be built but with restrictions, such as reinforcing buildings. Roads and railways can be protected by tunnels over them in the areas where an avalanche is likely to travel.
- Communication: Signs of the risk of avalanches can be displayed in villages and also by the ski lifts. In the Alps the risk is accessed on a five-point scale. Areas can be sealed off which are considered too dangerous to ski on. Early warning systems are also used.
- Explosions: Avalanches can be started deliberately in order to prevent snow building up.
- Reforestation: trees can be planted, increased the stability of the slope and helping to reduce damage further down the valley.
- Effects
- It travelled at 200 mph, taking 50 seconds to reach the village. 31 people died, 26 were tourists and 5 were locals. Rescuers saved 26 people in the following hours.
- People in Galtur were stranded as roads were blocked
- Ski resorts were closed in the region, costing the industry £5 million for each day they were closed
- 16 buildings were destroyed or severely damaged
- Ski resorts were closed in the region, costing the industry £5 million for each day they were closed
- People in Galtur were stranded as roads were blocked
- It travelled at 200 mph, taking 50 seconds to reach the village. 31 people died, 26 were tourists and 5 were locals. Rescuers saved 26 people in the following hours.
- Causes
- In February 1999, a series of low pressure systems persisted that brought continuous heavy snowfall
- Very high winds and low temperatures meant that exceptionally large amounts of snow were deposited (build up of snow continued for a week until record levels had been deposited.)
- The steep, sharp Alpine landscape intensified the effect of the avalanche.
- Very high winds and low temperatures meant that exceptionally large amounts of snow were deposited (build up of snow continued for a week until record levels had been deposited.)
- In February 1999, a series of low pressure systems persisted that brought continuous heavy snowfall
- Management of Avalabches
- Impacts of unreliable snowfall due to Climate change Chamonix
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