Abstract ID: 3.12515 | Not reviewed | Requested as: Talk | TBA | TBA

Leisure activities in mountain areas are becoming more diverse and visitor numbers are increasing. n The environment and the local population is also affected. Knowledge of the characteristics of forest visitors and their habits provides a basis for sustainable planning of recreation and other uses of mountain forests. In the study, we focused on the mountain forest and its importance in relation to various recreational activities compared to its other uses. Aim of the study was to determine 1) the main visitor profiles; 2) what constitutes their motives for visiting the forest; 3) how well they know the rules for forest use and how their knowledge on various topics is affected. We used the area of the municipality of Tržič (155 km2; 15,120 inhabitants: over 74% forest), Karavanke, Slovenia), as a case study. W collected existing statistical data on leisure activities – visits and overnight stays, visits to different locations (i.e. number of guided tours, paid parking fees, number of mountain rescue interventions). Overall, the data shows increasing numbers, which is a consequence of the geographical location of the area, which allows a wide range of outdoor leisure activities. The qualitative data on recreation in forests was collected through an online survey (n=316) structured out of mainly close-type questions and Likert-type questions. The survey was also advertised via QR codes at various locations such as parking lots at the trailheads and mountain huts.The target groups were both residents of the study area and visitors. .. Preliminary results of the statistical analysis show that the most popular activities in the forest are hiking and cycling on marked trails and mushroom hunting at certain times of the year and that, apart from recreation, enjoying the silence and solitude are among the most frequently mentioned motives. Results provide a solid source of data for guiding and planning the recreational use of forests and for defining measures related to recreational activities to be embedded in strategic documents. The study was carried out as part of the Interreg Alpine Space Program – ForestEcoValuje project.