ABSTRACT
Introduction Mountain ecosystems provide key ecological services for local communities including providing fuel, fodder and food, water and soil conservation, reducing the risk of avalanches and landslides, as well as acting as water reservoirs (Messerli et al. 2004; Becker et al. 2007). They are also important centres of biological diversity due to their high relative relief, diverse topography and geology, and the compression of climatic zones along elevation gradients (Körner 2003; Pickering and Barros 2012). Due to cultural, landscape and topographical factors, mountains are important destinations for a wide range of tourists, including adventure tourists (Buckley 2006; Pomfret 2006). Unfortunately, environmental impacts increase with increasing tourism including impacts on soils, vegetation, wildlife and aquatic systems. This chapter assesses the environmental impacts of mountaineering and related activities. It starts with a short overview of the ecological significance of mountains then reviews research on the environmental impacts of mountaineering and related activities such as helicopters, rock climbing, hiking, camping and pack animals. This includes discussing factors that influence the severity and types of impacts. Finally, it provides management recommendations for how impacts may be minimized, ameliorated or avoided.
