The Investigation And Assessment Of The Recreational Impact On Lianhua Mountain Nature Reserve In Gansu And The Management Strategies Of The Environmental Protection

Taking Lianhua Mountain National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province as its object, with the analysis of facts as its method, this research is carried out with an attempt to study the impact of recreational activities on the vegetation and soil in the nature reserve, as well as visitors'psychology towards the environmental changes. This thesis mainly elaborates on the following three aspects: the impact of recreational activities on the vegetation and plant communities, the impact of recreational activities on the properties of soil, and visitors'acceptance of the environmental changes caused by recreational activities. Based on the above-mentioned aspects, the author of this thesis puts forward some strategies and measures which aim at strengthening the environmental protection of Lianhua Mountain Nature Reserve to realize the goal of sustainable development which will obtain both ecological and economic benefits. The results of the analysis are as follows:1) Recreational activities have brought about impact on the vegetation in some scenic spots and areas in the nature reserve. Visitors'tramping hasn't caused severe impact on the environment, for they usually walk along the footpaths and in some comparatively spacious areas spots have been formed.2) The degree of the impact of human recreational activities on the plant communities in Lianhua Mountain National Nature Reserve is slight, and compared with the results of corresponding domestic researches, the impact exerted by the recreational activities in Lianhua Mountain National Nature Reserve is relatively minor, and the impact on the vegetation is within the limits of the bearable range of the environment in the nature reserve.3) Of the four sites of investigation, the recreational impact on the soil in order of severity is the Nature Reserve Administration >the Zixiao Palace > the Tangfang Beach-Shahe Beach>the Lianhua Palace. The degrees of soil hardness increment are as follows: 30.34 % in the Nature Reserve Administration, 25.93 % in the Zixiao Palace, 25.14 % in the Tangfang Beach-Shahe Beach, and 21.11 % in the Lianhua Palace. The moisture content in the sample plots which have been under impact is lower than that of the compared sample plots. This phenomenon is in accordance with the rules of the disturbance of the normal tramping on soil. 4)Visitors'unacceptance of the environmental changes of the four sites of investigation in order of severity is the Zixiao Palace > the Nature Reserve Administration >Shahe Beach Protection Station>the Lianhua Palace. The index of the impact on the vegetation in order of severity is the Zixiao Palace > the Nature Reserve Administration > the Lianhua Palace-Shahe Beach>the Lianhua Palace. From this comparation, we can conclude that the degree of recreational impact on vegetation is in accordance with the degree of visitors'unacceptance of the environmental changes and these two have positive relevance. Based on this, we can draw the conclusion that visitors'sensational recognition of the environmental changes directly come form the changing degree of the disturbance upon vegetation.5) Visitors'stay time and activity sphere are the two main factors which influence the ecological environment in the nature reserve. The investigation and analysis show that only 48.1 % of the tourists have been to the Zixiao Palace, but it has been influenced most heavily. This indicates that visitors have stayed in this place for too long. More than 80 % of the visitors have been to the road up the mountains, but it has been influenced least heavily. This shows that the the terrain of this area has greatly limited visitors'activity sphere.6) Vegetation and soil are the main objects of the impact caused by recreational activities. Therefore, if measures can be taken to protect them, the impact caused by recreational activities on the ecological environment in the nature reserve can be effectively prevented. During the tourism development of Lianhua Mountain Nature Reserve, the massive construction of infrastructure and some disorderly religious activities carried out by local religious believers have disturbed the ecological environment in some scenic spots and certain areas in the nature reserve. All these causes are either directly or indirectly related to the recreational activities.7) Aiming at improving the ecological environment in Lianhua Mountain National Nature Reserve, this thesis proposes the following managerial strategies to protect the environment: first, the measures for the management of the time and space of the recreational activities ; second, the managerial measures for the impact on vegetation; third, the managerial measures for soil; fourth, the environmental protection and other strategies.