Geological factors in monitoring and planning nature trails at tourist centres in northern Finland

Abstract

Increasing tourism in northern Finland produces challenges for tourist centres, their land use plans and sustainable development. Increasing activities in areas that are sensitive to environmental changes need solutions for sustainable land use. Equipment to minimize environmental effects, and the planning of ecologically, culturally, and visually sustainable built up areas at popular tourist centres on the Yllas and Levi fells are investigated in the LANDSCAPE LAB project. The project is partly financed by the EU LIFE Environment and the Geological Survey of Finland is involved as a partner. Geological factors such as the quality and composition of bedrock, the maturity of the matrix of surficial sediments, and geomorphology affect the resistance to erosion in different geoenvironments. In Fennoscandia, the glacial erosion has been intensive and the terrain is composed of eroded hill slopes and glacial landforms. Traditionally, in Finland, erosion resistance of nature trails has focused on vegetation and trampling resistance. The erosion rate is studied mainly by measuring the width and depth of the path and the amount of exposed roots and stones. Geological factors are not studied for nature trails, but geology and geological factors are the basic elements affecting resistance to erosion and should be included in land use planning. Careful planning and monitoring are the keys to creating visually impressive and geologically sustainable nature trails.