An integrative approach to assessing the resort and recreation potential of the highlands of the North Caucasus of the Russian Federation in the context of global urbanization

The experience of interdisciplinary studies of the impact of urbanization on the resort and recreation potential of the mountainous territories of the North Caucasus (MTNC) for the purposes of medical balneology and recreational recreation is considered.

The State Register of Natural curative resources (NCR) of MTNC includes unique mineral waters and natural peloids of various physicochemical and microbiological composition, a favorable climate, and a picturesque mountain landscape that are integrated into the existing and rapidly developing complex socio-ecological resort and recreation infrastructure and system of spa treatment and recreation. The risks of the mountain resort and recreation ecosystem include high sensitivity to climate changes and anthropogenic impacts.

High demand for resort and recreational services of MTNC and increasing urbanization initiated the development of comprehensive monitoring studies of the dynamics of the state of NCR, experimental studies on action mechanisms of natural healing factors and the development of a model for ranking mountain areas by integrated resort and recreation potential (IRRP):

 

IRRP = ∑ (IMgmr + IMbkr + IMgl) // n, where IMgmr, IMbkr, IMgl are integrated modules (indicators) of hydromineral, bioclimatic and landscape resources.

 

The model includes three large blocks of monitoring studies of many natural parameters that characterize the properties of underground mineral waters and natural peloids; bioclimatic functions (comfort degree and biotropy), topographic features, vegetation, soils, picturesque and attractive mountain landscape. The modular approach adopted in balneology of medico-biological categorization of NCR parameters established in an experiment or in experimental researches made it possible to overcome the differences in units of measurement of the results of multifactor natural monitoring [1, 2].

Conclusion - the integrative approach adopted in the work to assess the resort and recreational potential of the highlands made it possible to evaluate contractivity (comfort, health and pathogenic functions), stability, diversity, attractiveness of natural complexes of the federal resorts of the North Caucasus, to substantiate the priorities for the territorial development of resort and recreational infrastructure in the resort region of Caucasian Mineral Waters, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

 

References

1.Resort study of Caucasian Mineralnye Vody region / Under the general edition of the prof. V.V. Uyba. Scientific publication. - Pyatigorsk. - 2011. – 368p.

2.A technique of balneological assessment of forest-park landscapes of mountain territories for climatic landscape therapy. A grant for doctors. – Pyatigorsk. - 2015. - 26p.