Hiking-related degradation of alpine landscape in Low Tatras national park (Slovakia) during the COVID-19 pandemic

The fragile alpine landscape is highly susceptible to degradation due to extreme natural conditions. An increasing number of tourists may result in additional damage, but better tools are needed to track and report it. This article documents the tourist-driven degradation of the alpine mountain area of the Low Tatras National Park (Dumbierske Tatras) in Slovakia. Easy ridge hiking trails with beautiful views and easy access to the ridge by cable car are the main attraction for tourists in this location. The main objectives of the paper are (1) to demonstrate a novel method for trail damage identification and (2) to provide a case study for a high-alpine landscape. This article compares hiking degradation from before (2018) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021) using a Maximum Likelihood Classification GIS method. This workflow detected that new parallel trails, shortcuts, or trails to viewpoints are being created. Over two years, the trampled area increased by more than 30 % in most of study areas, leading to subsoil exposition and the loss of soil and vegetation cover. The research workflow can serve as input data for better management of the area and strategic planning of tourism development to reduce the impacts of hiking degradation on the landscape.