Winter Recreation and Ecotourism Potential in the Valdai National Park (Novgorod Oblast)

The prospects for an increase in the tourist flow in Novgorod oblast, and directly in the Valdai National Park, with the development of winter sports and tourism and the expansion of recreational services and active ecotourism in a year-round format are considered. The increase in tourist flows in the region is associated with the improvement of the transport and recreational infrastructure of the national park, as well as with changes in environmental (climatic) conditions. According to our observations and data from the Valdai branch of the State Hydrological Institute, there has been a slight increase in average annual and winter temperatures and precipitation during the calendar winter (December–February) in the 2000–2024 period. The observed global warming makes the local climatic conditions relatively mild: fairly snowy winters, stable snow cover for about 4 months and a fairly long period of negative temperatures (also more than 4 months) are favorable for the development of winter sports, tourism and recreation. On the banks of rivers and lakes you will find slopes suitable for skiing, snowboarding and sledging. There are favorable conditions for cross-country skiing, winter tourist routes, horse, reindeer and dog sledding, snowmobiling, etc. in the forests and open spaces. The park has positive experience in the development of active winter sports, environmental education and recreation. It is shown that the complex of recommended winter recreation and winter formats of ecological tourism in the territory of the park can include the functioning of permanent ecological trails and excursion routes on the topic of “winter” (“snow”) ecology, student and volunteer practices, participation in winter censuses of large mammals and birds by means of tracks in the snow, winter fishing and birdwatching, as well as photo hunting, which will become an example of “citizen science” and environmental education events of the winter cycle of the Valdai National Park.

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