Factors determining changes in the network of marked hiking trails in the Sudetes

Hiking trails are a basic type of tourist infrastructure,which,on the one hand,make areas available for tourist traffic,and on the other hand,can contribute to the protection of the natural environment(if they are well designed and maintained).Owing to the variety of performed functions,their designation is determined by several factors:natural,technical,economic,social.Networks of trails change constantly.The aim of this article is to determine exactly what factors influence transformations within the hiking trail networks and what is their significance.To this end,three study areas in the Sudetes were analysed:one on the Polish side of the Sudetes-the Table(Stołowe)Mountains,and two on the Czech side-the rock town near the village of Sloup vČechách and the central part of Zlatohorskávrchovina.An analysis of changes in the shape of the networks over time was carried out,as well as surveys of institutions that were responsible for or influenced these transformations.These areas are characterised by a significant level of changes in the trail network.Among the factors influencing these changes,the tourist attractiveness of the area,the resilience of the environment,the intensity of tourism traffic,the environmental transformations associated with it,the history of tourism development and land ownership changes should be considered the most important.At each stage of forming networks,the key factor should be tourists’needs,including the desire to escape the urbanised environment.For this reason,trails should avoid roads with artificial(hard)surfaces and heavy automobile traffic.

Status and outlook of hiking trails in the central part of the Low Tatra Mountains in Slovakia between 1980–1981 and 2013–2014

This study presents a methodology for assessment of the condition of hiking trails(HTs) and their impact zones in the central part of the Low Tatra mountain range, based on comparison of two complex data sets gathered in 33 years apart. The first field investigation was performed in 1980 and 1981, and the second in 2013 and 2014. The main goal was to perform a landscape typology in order to assess the susceptibility of landscape complexes to occurrence of anthropogenic and natural destruction processes and to assess the condition and prospects of HTs and their impacts on the adjacent alpine environment. Landscape complexes were characterised by selected abiotic, biotic and technical parameters of HTs and their impact zones. Due to the high variability of these parameters over the length of the HTs, we had to decide on how to map them. This was done using a square grid with 100 m-sized cells. For each cell with HT, the parameters were assigned the typical value within that cell. In total, 26.3 km of HT were studied, stretching over 266 grid cells. On comparison of the two data sets, it was seen that, 64%(171 grid cells) display a generally positive condition, with 54%(143 grid cells) even exhibiting significant improvement or continuously positive state of their condition. 36%(95 grid cells) were in bad condition, including 3%(9 grid cells) whose state had deteriorated, and 2%(6 grid cells) whose state had significantly deteriorated, in the time between the two assessments.

Networks of hiking tourist trails in the Krkono?e(Czech Republic) and Peneda-Gerês(Portugal) national parks-comparative analysis

Tourist trails as a linear form of tourist infrastructure fulfill various functions(i.e. recreational, ecological, economic, social, ensuring safety). They are especially important in national parks, where in selected areas tourist penetration is allowed only along specially designed, official routes. A well-planned layout of tourist trails with appropriate facilities can help to limit the negative consequences of tourist pressure on protected natural areas. The aim of the article is a comparison of offers for active tourists in two mountain national parks(the Krkono?e National Park in the Czech Republic and the Peneda-Gerês National Park in Portugal), taking into consideration the marked hiking trails – the most frequently used type of tourist trails. As a result the level of area coverage by the networks of hiking trails was assessed, as well as their adequateness towards the needs of tourists. The descriptive analysis was based on author's personal observations. In the examination of hiking trails as part of a system, some elements of the graph theory were used, especially coefficients for topologic analysis of spatial structure. This method enables simplification of a network, comparison of various areas and making some assumptions concerning tourist infrastructure, which is a crucial factor while analyzing trails from a tourists' point of view. In both analyzed national parks the relief is quite similar, as well as their locations near national borders, what justifies the choice of the areas scrutinized in the paper. What differ them are patterns of tourism development and the current ways of undertaking active tourism. Not similarities but the two latter factors resulted in a distinct character of the two compared networks of trails and facilities connected with them. The system of hiking trails and tourist infrastructure seem better developed in the Krkono?e National Park, what can be explained by historical and social conditions, especially the adopted model of hiking. In the article some disadvantages of tourist infrastructure in both protected areas were presented, as well as some suggestions in terms of its development, resulting from the analysis of networks of hiking trails.

Running and Hiking

WHEN I first came to China,I came as a spouse(my husband had been posted to Beijing by his company).This earned me a reputation among my friends as a "lady of leisure." Unbeknownst to them,I was commuting daily alongside 5 million other people to spend six hours a day studying Mandarin.That was three years ago.People now ask me why I walk so fast.My reply is that I can’t walk slower.It’s a drive to survive,albeit through my legs.

Economic Resilience in Bangladesh: Analyzing Household Well-Being amidst Price Hikes through ANOVA and Paired Sample t-Test Insights

This study delves into the multifaceted impact of price hikes on the standard of living in Bangladesh, with a specific focus on distinct socioeconomic segments. Amidst Bangladesh’s economic growth, the challenges of rising inflation and increased living costs have become pressing concerns. Employing a mixed-methods approach combines quantitative data from a structured survey with qualitative insights from in-depth interviews and focused group discussions to analyze the repercussions of price hikes. Stratified random sampling ensures representation across affluent, middle-class, and economically disadvantaged groups. Utilizing data [1] from 2020 to November 2023 on the yearly change in retail prices of essential commodities, analysis reveals significant demographic shifts, occupational changes, and altered asset ownership patterns among households. The vulnerable population, including daily wage laborers and low-income individuals, is disproportionately affected by adjustments in consumption, income generation, and living arrangements. Statistical analyses, including One-Way ANOVA and Paired Sample t-tests, illuminate significant mean differences in strategies employed during price hikes. Despite challenges, the prioritization of education remains evident, emphasizing its resilience in the face of economic hardships. The result shows that price hikes, especially in essential items, lead to substantial adjustments in living costs, with items like onions, garlic, and ginger experiencing significant increases of 275%, 108%, and 483%, respectively.

Price Hiking Concerns

For the average Chinese consumer, inflation has become a real concern rather than just an expectation. In January, consumer prices continued their fast-growing trend,

Hiking the Huashan Mountain

After a two-hour ride from Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, the bus reached Huashan Mountain, one of the five sacred Taoist mountains in China. It took me almost five hours to hike up to the western peak.

Monitoring System of tourist traffic(MSTT) for tourists monitoring in mid-mountain national park,SW Poland

National parks are highly valuable natural areas and have the potential to attract a large number of visitors.The number of visitors at national parks is systematically increasing,often exceeding Tourism Carrying Capacity(TCC)of trails.This situation requires adjusting the number of park visitors to adapt to sustainable management systems of visitor flow,thus preventing or counteracting overtourism.The aim of the study is to propose a comprehensive method for tourists monitoring in mid-mountain national park presented on the example of the Sto?owe Mountains National Park(SMNP)in Poland,called as Monitoring System of tourist traffic(MSTT).The study describes six stages procedure of tourists Monitoring System creation and application as an optimal measurement technique.The MSTT enabled a multidimensional analysis of tourist traffic in SMNP.With the help of 39 pyroelectric sensors and surveys data spatio-temporal characteristic of visitor flow was obtained.The data generated in MSTT included hourly,daily,weekly,monthly,and annual reports,taking into account the direction of traffic measuring both directions:entries(IN),exits(OUT)and passages(IN+OUT).The results from pyroelectric sensors were supplemented with field surveys,where visitor’s motivations,preferences,and behaviours were determined.In 2017 a total of 871,344 visitors were recorded in SMNP what causes one of the most popular national parks in Poland.The SMNP is a suitable destination for short breaks leisure visits in wilderness.In order to sustain MSTT methodology in the long-run the set of guidelines together with the workload estimates were presented.In the future,the MSTT can be further developed,including monitoring of climbing,cycling,cross-country skiing,car traffic and illegal tourism assessment.The MSTT can be considered as a useful tool for tourism management in mid-mountain national parks throughout the entire calendar year.

The effect of wilderness and medical training on injury and altitude preparedness among backcountry hikers in Rocky Mountain National Park

BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study was to document the correlation between medical and wilderness training with levels of preparedness for acute mountain sickness(AMS),illness,and injury among backcountry hikers.METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional,convenience survey in Rocky Mountain National Park in July and August 2015.The study group consisted of 380 hikers who completed a written survey that collected information about demographics,wilderness experience,altitude experience,hiking equipment,communications devices,and trip planning.RESULTS:Factors such as wilderness training(wilderness first aid[WFA],wilderness first responder[WFR],or wilderness emergency medical technician[WEMT]),wilderness experience,and altitude experience all affected hikers’emergency preparedness.Respondents with medical training were more prepared to avoid or respond to AMS(62.3%vs.34.3%[P<0.001]).They were also more prepared to avoid or manage injury/illness than hikers without medical training(37.7%vs.20.7%[P=0.003]).Participants with wilderness training were more likely to be prepared to avoid or respond to AMS(52.3%vs.36.8%[P=0.025])but not significantly more likely to be prepared to manage illness/injury(31.8%vs.22.0%[P<0.11]).Adjusting for experience,wilderness training,age,and gender,we found that medical training was associated with increased preparedness for AMS(OR2.72;95%CI 1.51–4.91)and injury/illness(OR 2.71;95%CI 1.5–4.89).CONCLUSION:Medically trained hikers were more likely to be prepared to avoid or manage AMS,medical emergencies,and injuries than their non-medically trained counterparts.Wilderness training increased hikers’preparedness for AMS but did not significantly alter preparedness for illness/injury.

Leaf thickness and elevation explain naturalized alien species richness in a tropical mountain forest: A case study from Mount Gede-Pangrango National Park,Indonesia

Exotic plant invasion is one of the major causes of species extinction.In many contexts,mountainous forests are the last refuge for native species.There are several inventory studies conducted in mountainous and tropical forests in Indonesia.However,there are no studies yet on the factors that explain the abundance and richness of surveyed naturalized alien species.This study investigated whether the number of individuals and abundanceweighted species richness(AWR) of naturalized alien plant species in the hiking-trail of Mount GedePangrango National Park(MGPNP) forest area correlated with leaf traits(specific leaf area(SLA) and leaf thickness) and environmental factors(elevation,slope,and normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)).We showed that leaf thickness and habitat elevation explained the AWR variations of naturalized alien species.We did not detect any important effect of leaf traits and environmental factors on the number of individuals per exotic species per plot.The influence of leaf thickness and habitat elevation indicates the important role of both biotic and abiotic factors on exotic species to develop a high species richness and become an invasive species in the tropical mountain forest ecosystem.

China hikes non-residential electricity price nationwide

On Wednesday, China announced adjustments for the prices of non-residential power and thermal coal in order to ease power shortages and reduce financial pressure on power companies. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced that it will raise the retail price

Electricity and Magnets电和磁

When you go camping or on a hike in the woods, one very important piece of equipment should always be with you. You should take a compass. The compass needle is a magnet, and the compass needle will rest pointing to the north. When you know where north is, you can tell all other directions.

Salary Hikes on the National Agenda

Boosting incomes is one of the government＇s priorities in the current five-year plan MIGRANT worker Su ruifang has lived in Beijing for more than 10 years. She started out as a cleaner, but has since

Will Subway Fare Hike Ease Rush-Hour Squeeze?

A proposal to increase the subway fare in Beijing has commuters debating the merits of this move in a city choked with traffic and burgeoning public transport numbers.On June 19, 2011,Beijing Times reported that the city’s transport authority was mulling over instituting a policy of price differences between rush hour and off-peak hours.The proposal is aimed at spreading the mass of subway commuters during rush hours,

Rapid Price Hike and Tumble of Cocoon Risks in Chinese Silk Industry

Back to 1994, a transient price hike of cocoon silk eventually led to a predicament for Chinese silk industry in the following years. A decade later, is that slump going to happen again?

The Impact of the US Interest Rate Hike on Emerging Market Economies and the Belt and Road Initiative

Since the end of 2015,the US Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark interest rate nine times.This has led to capital outflows and asset depreciation in many emerging market economies.The present paper examines the factors that determine the financial volatility of emerging markets in the face of external shocks.By calculating the capital flows of 30 emerging markets from 1990 to 2018 and conducting panel regression,this paper finds that countries with good infrastructure facilities,a sound banking system and high economic growth have significantly lower cross-border financial risks.An implication from the empirical analysis is that emerging countries would benefit greatly by actively taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative.The framework of the Belt and Road Initiative allows emerging countries better access to China s massive consumer market to promote trade and long-term growth.Their quality of infrastructure can be improved through cooperation with China in infrastructure investment.They can also jointly establish a cooperative financial framework to enhance regional financial stability.These strategies will reduce systematic financial risks and counteract the negative impacts of US interest rate hikes.

Curbing Price Hikes

The Central Government will take whatever measures necessary to stifle inflation THE PRICE OF PRODUCE:Fresh vegetables are for sale at a supermarket in Ji’nan, Shandong Province.

Are Fuel Price Hikes Justifiable?

China saw its third fuel price hike this year when the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top price regulator, hiked gasoline and diesel retail prices up by 9 percent, effective on June 30. It is the second rally in a month after the country initiated a new fuel pricing scheme in May.

Oil Prices Take a Hike

The National Development and Reform Commission(NDRC),China’s top economic planner,announced at the end of October that the benchmark prices of gasoline,diesel oil and aviation kerosene would be raised by 500 yuan per ton. Recently,international oil prices have been rising continuously.Crude oil futures prices traded in New York surged to＄93 per barrel on October 29. However,in China,oil prices are set by the government and not by the market. The recent hike on the price of oil in China is a measure implemented,to narrow the gap between soaring global crude oil prices and domestic fuel prices.NDRC officials answered questions posed by Xinhua News Agency about recent oil price hikes.The questions and answers follow: