Eco.mont Vol. 7 Nr. 1, pp. 17-25, 2015/01/13
Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
Recreational activities have increased remarkably and may negatively affect native wildlife populations. A nationwide campaign in Switzerland (Respektiere deine Grenzen) tries to manage the behaviour of winter-sports participants through awareness raising and by using on-site intervention instruments. Following an experimental survey design, the campaign was evaluated among people engaged in ski-touring or snow-shoeing in the winter of 2011 / 12 (n = 548). The results reveal that the campaign is successful in raising awareness and has a positive impact on stated responsible behaviour towards nature. In contrast, the results of the treatment-control comparisons show that on-site-intervention instruments do not significantly influence stated behaviour. We can conclude that steering instruments should preferably be applied during the planning phase of the tour or, at the latest, at its starting point, whereas measures trying to influence the behaviour on tour seem to have no additional effect.
