IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v9y2020i10p374-d424350.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Landscape Potential and Light Pollution as Key Factors for Astrotourism Development: A Case Study of a Slovak Upland Region

Author

Listed:
  • Radoslava Kanianska

    (Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University Banská Bystrica, Tajovského 40, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia)

  • Jana Škvareninová

    (Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovakia)

  • Stanislav Kaniansky

    (Maximilian Hell Observatory and Planetarium in Žiar nad Hronom, Dukelských hrdinov 21, 965 01 Žiar nad Hronom, Slovakia)

Abstract

Astrotourism is considered to be a modern form of ecotourism. The main resource for astrotourism is a high-quality night sky, but this is very sensitive to natural as well as anthropogenic factors; for example, land utilization and expansion of urban areas often cause the negative effect of light pollution. The aim of the study is to perform a lighting survey by night sky brightness (NSB) measurements using the sky quality meter (SQM-L) at 20 study sites of the Slovenské stredohorie Upland region (Slovakia) and to assess the region’s potential for astrotourism development (PAD) using a multicriteria analysis. The NSB values ranged from 19.90 (city Žiar nad Hronom at Žiarska kotlina Basin) to 21.54 mag/arcsec 2 (recreation area Poľana at Poľana Mountains). At 14 out of 20 study sites, the NSB values even reached 21.2 mag/arcsec 2 , as recommended by the International Dark-Sky Association for dark-sky parks. Four study sites were categorized as sites with medium PAD, and sixteen with low PAD. No study site reached a high or very high PAD. The best conditions for astrotourism development are fulfilled mainly by the Poľana Mountains geographical unit. The findings can be used for sustainable astrotourism development, land management, and planning to ensure socioeconomic development, together with nature and dark-sky conservation.

Suggested Citation

  • Radoslava Kanianska & Jana Škvareninová & Stanislav Kaniansky, 2020. "Landscape Potential and Light Pollution as Key Factors for Astrotourism Development: A Case Study of a Slovak Upland Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:10:p:374-:d:424350
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/10/374/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/9/10/374/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephanie I. J. Holzhauer & Steffen Franke & Christopher C. M. Kyba & Alessandro Manfrin & Reinhard Klenke & Christian C. Voigt & Daniel Lewanzik & Martin Oehlert & Michael T. Monaghan & Sebastian Sch, 2015. "Out of the Dark: Establishing a Large-Scale Field Experiment to Assess the Effects of Artificial Light at Night on Species and Food Webs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(11), pages 1-24, November.
    2. Nona Schulte-Römer & Josiane Meier & Etta Dannemann & Max Söding, 2019. "Lighting Professionals versus Light Pollution Experts? Investigating Views on an Emerging Environmental Concern," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Peter Chrastina & Pavel Hronček & Bohuslava Gregorová & Michaela Žoncová, 2020. "Land-Use Changes of Historical Rural Landscape—Heritage, Protection, and Sustainable Ecotourism: Case Study of Slovak Exclave Čív (Piliscsév) in Komárom-Esztergom County (Hungary)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-25, July.
    4. Maja Grubisic & Abraham Haim & Pramod Bhusal & Davide M. Dominoni & Katharina M. A. Gabriel & Andreas Jechow & Franziska Kupprat & Amit Lerner & Paul Marchant & William Riley & Katarina Stebelova & Ro, 2019. "Light Pollution, Circadian Photoreception, and Melatonin in Vertebrates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-51, November.
    5. Sibylle Schroer & Benedikt John Huggins & Clementine Azam & Franz Hölker, 2020. "Working with Inadequate Tools: Legislative Shortcomings in Protection against Ecological Effects of Artificial Light at Night," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-38, March.
    6. R. Travis Belote, 2018. "Proposed Release of Wilderness Study Areas in Montana (USA) Would Demote the Conservation Status of Nationally-Valuable Wildlands," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-10, June.
    7. Georges Zissis, 2020. "Sustainable Lighting and Light Pollution: A Critical Issue for the Present Generation, a Challenge to the Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-4, June.
    8. Andreas Papalambrou & Lambros T. Doulos, 2019. "Identifying, Examining, and Planning Areas Protected from Light Pollution. The Case Study of Planning the First National Dark Sky Park in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Broome, James David & Cook, David & Davíðsdóttir, Brynhildur, 2024. "Heavenly lights: An exploratory review of auroral ecosystem services and disservices," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    2. Francisco Escario-Sierra & César Álvarez-Alonso & J. Antonio Moseñe-Fierro & Victoria Sanagustín-Fons, 2022. "Sustainable Tourism, Social and Institutional Innovation—The Paradox of Dark Sky in Astrotourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-20, May.
    3. Martina Pásková & Nicol Budinská & Josef Zelenka, 2021. "Astrotourism–Exceeding Limits of the Earth and Tourism Definitions?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-25, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska & Katarzyna Szlachetko & Katarzyna Bobkowska, 2021. "An Impact Analysis of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) on Bats. A Case Study of the Historic Monument and Natura 2000 Wisłoujście Fortress in Gdansk, Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-48, October.
    2. Catherine Pérez Vega & Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska & Franz Hölker, 2021. "Urban Lighting Research Transdisciplinary Framework—A Collaborative Process with Lighting Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Alejandro Martínez-Martín & Adrián Bocho-Roas & Diego Carmona-Fernández & Manuel Calderón-Godoy & Miguel Ángel Jaramillo-Morán & Juan Félix González, 2023. "Influence of Illumination Parameters on Night Sky Observation in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-23, June.
    4. Lambros T. Doulos & Ioannis Sioutis & Aris Tsangrassoulis & Laurent Canale & Kostantinos Faidas, 2020. "Revision of Threshold Luminance Levels in Tunnels Aiming to Minimize Energy Consumption at No Cost: Methodology and Case Studies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Karolina M. Zielińska-Dabkowska & Kyra Xavia & Katarzyna Bobkowska, 2020. "Assessment of Citizens’ Actions against Light Pollution with Guidelines for Future Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-32, June.
    6. Annika K. Jägerbrand & Constantinos A. Bouroussis, 2021. "Ecological Impact of Artificial Light at Night: Effective Strategies and Measures to Deal with Protected Species and Habitats," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, May.
    7. David Baeza Moyano & Mónica San Juan Fernández & Roberto Alonso González Lezcano, 2020. "Towards a Sustainable Indoor Lighting Design: Effects of Artificial Light on the Emotional State of Adolescents in the Classroom," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-27, May.
    8. Nona Schulte-Römer & Josiane Meier & Max Söding & Etta Dannemann, 2019. "The LED Paradox: How Light Pollution Challenges Experts to Reconsider Sustainable Lighting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-17, November.
    9. Antonio Peña-García & Ferdinando Salata, 2020. "The Perspective of Total Lighting as a Key Factor to Increase the Sustainability of Strategic Activities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-8, April.
    10. Andreas Papalambrou & Lambros T. Doulos, 2019. "Identifying, Examining, and Planning Areas Protected from Light Pollution. The Case Study of Planning the First National Dark Sky Park in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-24, October.
    11. Nona Schulte-Römer & Josiane Meier & Etta Dannemann & Max Söding, 2019. "Lighting Professionals versus Light Pollution Experts? Investigating Views on an Emerging Environmental Concern," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    12. Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska, 2022. "Healthier and Environmentally Responsible Sustainable Cities and Communities. A New Design Framework and Planning Approach for Urban Illumination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-22, November.
    13. Annika K. Jägerbrand, 2020. "Synergies and Trade-Offs Between Sustainable Development and Energy Performance of Exterior Lighting," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-27, May.
    14. Theodor Terrich & Marek Balsky, 2022. "The Effect of Spill Light on Street Lighting Energy Efficiency and Light Pollution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-10, April.
    15. Robert F. Baldwin & Karen F. Beazley, 2019. "Emerging Paradigms for Biodiversity and Protected Areas," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-12, March.
    16. Patricia Aguilera-Benito & Carolina Piña-Ramírez & Sheila Varela-Lujan, 2021. "Experimental Analysis of Passive Strategies in Houses with Glass Façades for the Use of Natural Light," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-14, August.
    17. Maria Sinou & Katerina Skalkou & Roumpini Perakaki & Sébastien Jacques & Zoe Kanetaki, 2023. "Holistic Strategies Based on Heritage, Environmental, Sensory Analysis and Mapping for Sustainable Coastal Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    18. Anna Beniermann & Martin Glos & Heike Schumacher & Ingo Fietze & Stephan Völker & Annette Upmeier zu Belzen, 2023. "‘Sleep Blindness’ in Science Education: How Sleep Health Literacy Can Serve as a Link between Health Education and Education for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-22, August.
    19. Ying Hao & Peiyao Wang & Zhongyao Zhang & Zhiming Xu & Dagong Jia, 2024. "A Review of the Characteristics of Light Pollution: Assessment Technique, Policy, and Legislation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-18, June.
    20. Diwakar Bista & Aayush Bista & Ashish Shrestha & Lambros T. Doulos & Pramod Bhusal & Georges Zissis & Frangiskos Topalis & Bhupendra Bimal Chhetri, 2021. "Lighting for Cultural and Heritage Site: An Innovative Approach for Lighting in the Distinct Pagoda-Style Architecture of Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:10:p:374-:d:424350. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.