Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mts. History, Problems and Perspectives

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1 Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mts. History, Problems and Perspectives Friedhart Knolle Christian Reinboth ISSRM 2014

2 Agenda (1) Topography and protected areas of the Harz mountain range (2) Historical development of winter sports in the Harz (3) Climate change and its effect on the Harz region (4) Conflicts between sustainable tourism and winter sports (5) The Wurmberg ski resort during the season of 2013/2014 We will be glad to answer all further questions after the presentation For more information please visit: / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

3 Topography of the Harz and protected areas in this region Main conflict area Credit: Harz National Park

Historical winter sport traditions The first skiing clubs were founded after 1892

his daughter Credit: Helmut Tischler Credit: Gerd Falkner 10.06.

4 Historical winter sport traditions The first skiing clubs were founded after : Harz skiing pioneer was Senior forester Arthur Ulrichs ( ), here with his daughter Credit: Helmut Tischler Credit: Gerd Falkner / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

Andreasberg during the 1920s 10.06.2014 / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F.

5 Historical winter sport traditions Skiing in Nazi propaganda: Advertising for the German Winter Fighting Games of 1934 Credit: Gerd Falkner Sankt Andreasberg during the 1920s / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

6 Museum of Skiing and Winter Sports in Braunlage, Germany Credit:

natural protection area 10.06.2014 / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F.

7 Expansion of the Wurmberg ski resort 2006: Massive reduction of natural protection area NSG Wurmberg 2013: 16 ha land consumption in the former natural protection area / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

8 Construction of the water storage basin on top of the Wurmberg in 2013 Credit: BUND Westharz

9 Construction of the water storage basin on top of the Wurmberg in 2013 Credit: Wurmberg-Seilbahn GmbH

10 Construction of the water storage basin, several alpine ski runs and the new parking place (rear) at the Wurmberg Credit: Hermann Fischer

11 Climate monitoring station on top of the Brocken (1141 m) Credit: Eick v. Ruschkowski

Average annual temperature 1848-2013 Credit: Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) 10.06.

12 Average annual temperature Credit: Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

13 Sliding average for Braunlage and the Brocken Credit: Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) and Harzwasserwerke (modified by Carmen de Jong) / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

14 An almost conflict-free form of winter sports: Nordic Skiing Credit: Ulrich Krynitz

This makes Harz National Park one of the primary candidates for a Dark Sky Park designation from the IDA (International Dark Sky Association) as well as a potential destination for sustainable

15 Conflicts with sustainable tourism The Harz is one of only eight regions in Germany (Eifel, Terra.vita, Westhavelland, Rhön, Harz, Schwäbische Alb, Altmark and Schwarze Elster) which still exhibits a nearly perfect dark sky (21.75 mag/arcsec²) almost unspoiled by light pollution. This makes Harz National Park one of the primary candidates for a Dark Sky Park designation from the IDA (International Dark Sky Association) as well as a potential destination for sustainable astro-tourism. This outlook is threatened by the proposed installation of a floodlighting system for the illumination of ski slopes at the Wurmberg (Hänel: BfN-Skript 336, 2013) / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

16 The visible band of the Milky Way over Sankt Andreasberg Credit: Michael Schomann

17 The 2012 Transit of Venus observed from Sankt Andreasberg Credit: Oliver Maiwald

18 View from Wendelstein: ski resort after deactivation of slope lighting Credit: Christoph Ries

19 View from Wendelstein: ski resort before deactivation of slope lighting Credit: Christoph Ries

20 Proposed illumination on the Wurmberg Suggested illumination levels for ski slopes according to DIN EN : Class Illumination level Illumination equability I 100 lx 0,5 II 30 lx 0,3 III 20 lx 0,2 Class I: Facilities for high performance sports and international sporting events Class II: Facilities for important national sporting events with many spectators Class III: Facilities for leisure sports, school sports and general training The investor has proposed a 150 lx floodlighting. Some concessions were made: The lighting system will only be in use during three days per week for a maximum duration of four months per year. Additionally, the lighting will be shut off after 22:30 p.m / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

21 Performance during the season of 2013/14 Based on the available data, the authors estimate that the production of high-quality artificial snow (no sludge) will require sub-zero temperatures of at least -5 C. Report on artificial snow production in the Harz by de Jong / Knolle / Reinboth (2012) The people living in the Harz might be peculiar, yet even the land of witches and myths is governed by the laws of nature. Water will freeze at 0 C even in the Harz and even at 100% air humidity. Press release by the investor in reaction to the report (2012) As soon as the temperature falls below -3 C, we can begin with the production of artificial snow. Statement by the investor for the Goslarsche Zeitung (2013) / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

22 Failed efforts in producing artificial snow in December 2013 Credit: Christian Reinboth

23 Failed efforts in producing artificial snow in December 2013 Credit: Christian Reinboth

24 Performance during the season of 2013/14 The opening of the ski resort had to be postponed twice (December 6th, December 14th) because of the lack of snow. The resort finally opened on January 11th still without snow. The naked sledding event, which draws about visitors annually, had to be moved from Braunlage to Cochstedt Airport in February of 2014 because of springlike (MZ) weather conditions in the Harz. Even though city and investor still assume, that the installation will be able to provide reliable snow coverage for 100 days per season on average, the resort had only 40 stream days during the season of 2013/2014. Due to the low turnover, the lighting installation will probably be postponed. In May of 2014, engineers concluded that the ski jump tower on top of the Wurmberg (built in 1922) is so dilapidated, that it needs to be dismantled / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

25 Thank you for the attention! For more information please visit: / ISSRM 2014 GFN Harz e.v. / F. Knolle / C. Reinboth Winter Tourism and Protected Areas in the Harz Mountains

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