Significant increase in negative impacts on vegetation and soils at informal campsites in a Norwegian national park in the period 1988–2020

ABSTRACT The study surveyed changes in vegetation and soil impacts at informal campsites due to visitors in much-visited areas of Femundsmarka National Park, Norway. Data from 1988 were compared with almost similar data in 2020. In general, the number of informal campsites, areas free of vegetation, and the number of damaged trees in 2020 had increased compared with in 1988. The most dramatic change was the increase in damage to trees, which was almost four times as high in 2020 as in 1988, even in cases where the surveyed area around campsites was smaller (campsite + 5 m radius) in 2020 compared to 1988 (campsite + 10 m). The authors conclude there should be systematic monitoring of recreation ecology combined with targeted management actions aimed at curbing and reducing the impacts of recreation on the conservation value of the national park. They also conclude that a regular monitoring programme is needed to control further development of negative ecological impacts from recreation.