As part of the EU LIFE research project “Snow Sports and Wildlife Habitats,” in collaboration with the Freiburg Forest Research Institute, Department of Forest and Society, the impact of cross-country skiers, winter hikers, and snowshoers on the habitat of red deer in a 17,500-hectare area in the Upper Black Forest.
The scientific focus was on the movement patterns of winter sports enthusiasts and the resulting effects on the spatiotemporal behavior of red deer in winter. The study primarily addressed the following areas:
As the basis for a phased land-use concept, the analysis—using geodata on wildlife behavior and visitor traffic—first answered the key question of where encounters between wildlife and humans are most likely to occur and how the wildlife reacts to them:
When physical activity takes place on cross-country ski trails and paths, and athletes stick to the designated routes, this is obviously noticed by the wildlife but is also tolerated. Opaque vegetation between wildlife habitats and trails used by tourists ensures that the behavior described above—avoidance of predators—no longer needs to occur. However, if athletes stray from the designated routes, the disturbance can extend into wildlife resting areas or feeding grounds, thereby becoming problematic.