Study warns ski resorts may perish in the heat

By Kay Barney

A study of the effects of global warming on Australian ski resorts has found that only one ski field may be viable by 2030.

PhD student Urs Koenig, from the ANU's Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, says the ski resort operators need to take climate change seriously in planning and operating ski fields.

Mr Koenig used computer models to estimate the reduction in natural snow falls on each of the country's major ski fields.

His figures showed that Charlotte Pass in NSW would be the only one with sufficient natural snow falls to be viable, assuming a worst-case climate scenario. All the others would have to rely on expensive artificial snow-making or develop their higher slopes, which could produce environmental problems.

Mr Koenig also conducted surveys of skier demand which showed Australian resorts would lose 44 per cent of their skiers if there were a rising number of future winters with little natural snow.

Those surveyed said they would either ski overseas rather than in Australia (38 per cent), or give up their sport (6 per cent). He found 56 per cent of respondents would still ski in Australia, 25 per cent as often as they used to and 31 per cent less often, if snow falls were not good.

Australian ski resorts clearly must diversify into non-snow related activities, said Mr Koenig.

He said this was already occurring in Europe with alternatives that include guided walks, mountain bike tours, golf (on snow with green golf balls), squash, indoor tennis and general fitness activities such as gym and swimming, indoors of course.

Social activities will become more important under this scenario, such as night clubs and pubs, wine tastings, shopping, movies and concerts. These are all "no regret" strategies, he points out.

"In poor snow seasons, which occur on average about every four to five years in Australia, these are all things that could attract and keep people at the alpine resorts, rather than them packing up and going home if there's no snow."

These activities would be available throughout the summer, and would help to attract more people out of the ski season and reduce reliance on the income derived from just three months of the year when the snow is falling, he said.

Bureau of Meteorology forecasters said the 1997 ski season, which officially opened earlier this month, could be affected by a return of El Nino - a weather pattern which results in higher ocean temperatures and lower rainfall.

El Nino could mean drier conditions than average over the winter months.