2026/02/03 by Joan Rabassa‐Juvanteny, Bernat Claramunt‐López · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Social Sciences · #Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management #Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research #Land Use and Ecosystem Services
paper · pdf · doi:10.1659/mrd.2025.00020
openalex created_date 2026/02/03 · openalex publication_date 2026/02/03 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
Mountain natural capital supports local and lowland populations while maintaining global social–ecological balance. However, mountains face increasing ecological, economic, and social pressures, leading to natural capital depletion. Winter tourism is particularly vulnerable in this shifting context, with climate change as the primary driver of impacts on this industry. In response, ski and mountain resorts are diversifying activities, adopting innovative solutions, and implementing sustainable practices to enhance their long-term outlook, with a growing recognition that valuing and improving natural capital can strengthen both reputation and viability. Despite these efforts, the relationship between natural capital and mountain tourism remains poorly understood. Here, we integrate the Natural Capital Protocol and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting to assess the natural capital of La Molina and Vall de Núria, 2 public ski and mountain resorts in the Catalan Pyrenees. First, by integrating insights from literature, geographic information systems, and field surveys, we outline key dependencies, impacts, impact drivers, risks, and opportunities associated with natural capital at these resorts. We show that forests, pastures, reservoirs, and mountain streams supply critical ecosystem services while being impacted by business activities, with climate change and land use change as major risk drivers. Based on these findings, we argue that the assessed resorts could improve sustainability by addressing these aspects. Second, drawing on workshops, validated through questionnaires, we construct materiality matrices capturing business and stakeholder perspectives on natural capital, highlighting the critical role of water, rural land use, and cultural ecosystem services for the resorts' viability and benefits to local communities. Finally, we recommend protecting, restoring, sustainably managing, and enhancing natural capital to strengthen social–ecological resilience and address global change. This study emphasizes the value of natural capital assessments for ski and mountain resorts, providing a holistic perspective to promote sustainability and responsible management of nature in touristic mountain regions.