PELFINI M., SANTILLI M. & COLZANI M.
L’erosione dei sentieri in alta montagna. Indagini dendrocronologiche e stime quantitative lungo alcuni itinerari della Valfurva (Sondrio) – The erosion of tourist trails in high mountain. Dendrogeomorphological analysis and quantitative evaluations on some paths in Valfurva (Sondrio, Central Italian Alps)
Pages 261-269
Abstract
The high mountain landscape is changing, following the climatic trend. Glaciers are retreating and new scenarios and mountain trails are now utilizable by tourists . The environment is somewhere affected by human impact due to the incr eased frequenta tion. Where mountain trails are cut on steep slopes a deepening of paths can be observed. In the present work the soil loss along some paths in the Upper Valrellina was estimated. Along paths located below the timberline a dendrochronological analysis was carried out in order to evaluate the damages on roo ts, and on tree growth. Samp les of stems and exposed roo ts were collected from 34 living trees. Two reference chronologies were bu ilt for Larixdecidua Mill. and Pinus cembra 1. Th e results show changes in the trees and roots growth in the last twenty years. The deepenin g of the tr ail has been extremely rapid on the lateral moraine of the Fo rni Gl acier (13 mm in less than ten years) on th e left side of the valley, frequ ented since 1995.