The contribution of footpaths to the protection and utilization of the natural environment by using the VIKOR method for their ranking

The numerous benefits, physical and mental, of hiking, trekking, and mountain climbing are well documented in literature. The preservation and thorough maintenance of hiking trails can have multiple impacts: apart from the protection of natural and cultural resources, trails can also make hiking more appealing and popular and lead to multifaceted development of local areas. However, human trampling may be the cause of soil compaction and erosion and may ultimately lead to trail and landscape degradation. For this reason, long distance trails should be better designed to minimize potential future problems and should be constantly monitored to ensure their viability. In the present paper, the VIKOR method was applied for the ranking of the hiking trails located in the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki, Greece, with a view to improving their technical characteristics in the future. The questionnaire included seven criteria (Start Elevation, Summit Elevation, Slope, Degree of Difficulty, Length, Hiking Time, Starting Point Distance from the City), which were rated and ranked by members of mountaineering clubs as to their importance in mountaineers’ routing decisions. The proposed trail rating approach can be a valuable tool for evaluating or improving the sustainability of existing or new trails in the region.