THE PHYSICAL EVOLUTION OF AND THE ANTHROPIC IMPACT ON A GLACIER SUBJECTED TO A HIGH INFLUX OF TOURISTS: VEDRETTA PlANA GLACIER (ITALIAN ALPS)

Vedretta Pi an a Glacier is situated in Valle di Trafoi, near Stelvio P ass (Italian Alps ). Summer skiing has been a popular sport on this glacier for over seventy yea rs. On this glacier a stu dy for determining its recent evolut ion was carried out by means of a quantitative, detailed an alysis (G P S and GPR surveys) carried out in 1999 and in 2000 . Th e data elaboration shows th at the loss of ice and snow during the September 1999 - September 2000 period was equal to 938.920 rn'. The specific net ma ss balance for th e 1999/2000 hydrological year thus amounts to - 2.138 mm. The glacier's mean thickness proved to be equal to 71 m. Th e glacier volume proved to be equal to 72.500 .000 m' over a surface area of about 1 km ' . The survival time of the glacier is valu ed of about 35 yea rs (KEY W ORDS: Glaciers , Tourism, Vedretta Pi an a, Alps)