Nature-friendly mountain sports
in the Montafon
More and more people are discovering and enjoying mountain sports away from secured slopes and routes – whether it be freeriding, ski touring, snowshoeing or biking. What many see as relaxation also poses challenges for sensitive natural areas: the flora and fauna in the mountains are sensitive to disturbances, and the pressure on previously quiet areas is increasing.
With the initiative ‘Nature-friendly mountain sports in Montafon’, various stakeholders are working together to defuse existing conflicts of interest and find sustainable solutions – for wildlife, forests and the respectful practice of winter sports in open terrain.
Read and listen to more about the initiative.
The Montafon podcast has also covered the Nature-Friendly Mountain Sports initiative. In this episode, Jens met with Montafon mountain guide and project initiator Alex, as well as project coordinator Hanna. Together, the three headed out into the great outdoors to discuss the topic on location.
Launch of the initiative
In summer 2017, the Vorarlberg Mountain Guide Association, Montafon Tourism and the Verwall-Klostertaler Bergwälder Nature Conservation Association jointly initiated a project that focuses on winter sports away from secured slopes and trails.
The aim was to seek dialogue with all stakeholders – from landowners and managers to various user groups. Several working groups were then set up to develop specific solutions for selected areas. In addition, a steering group was established, which has since been addressing concerns raised by the public and continuously developing the initiative.
What we want to achieve:
‘Our goal is to defuse existing areas of tension in the field of nature and mountain sports. We protect our natural spaces while preserving free access to nature as much as possible.’
Hanna Burger, Project Coordinator
- Protection of habitats and species
- Commitment to the importance of protected areas and quiet zones for native wildlife
- Preservation of free access to nature
- Support for control measures and restrictions based on the principle of ‘as little as possible, as much as necessary’
- Preservation of an open, respectful culture of dialogue
- Involvement of all interested stakeholders
- Joint public relations, education, awareness-raising and information
- Preference for voluntary, jointly agreed arrangements
Measures implemented to date
The activities of the ‘Environmentally Friendly Winter Sports in Montafon’ group focus on coordinating the working groups, broad public relations work, and planning and implementing control measures. The measures are continuously evaluated and improved.
The steering group
The steering group acts as an interface between the concerns of the population and the individual working groups. The steering group members organise the working groups and initiate all steps necessary for the implementation of the agreements reached.
In addition, the steering group is responsible for communicating the measures widely, standardising them (e.g. uniform map layouts) and networking with other initiatives in the country, in particular with the national programme ‘Respect your borders’. This ensures that the steering measures of the individual regions can be coordinated in a meaningful way.
Members of the Montafon Steering Group
- Jürgen Kuster – Montafon Stand
- Alexander Fleisch – Project Initiator
- Tobias Stergiotis – Montafon Economic Community
- Alexander Stergiotis – Mountain Biking User Group
- Markus Büchel – Montafon Mountain Railways
- Andreas Bitschnau – Landowner, Agriculture
- Andreas Schmidt – Vorarlberg Alpine Club
- Elisabeth Lesgi – Montafon Alpine Club
- Christian Kuehs – European Protected Area/Nature Conservation
- Manuel Bitschnau – Montafon Tourism
- Andreas Drexel – Montafon Forest Fund
- Manfred Vonbank – Vorarlberg Hunting Association
- Hanno Dönz – Montafon Mountain Guides
- Michael Junginger – Marketing and Communication
- Christoph Daxer – Vorarlberg State Coordination of Visitor Management and Respect Your Boundaries
- Markus Felbermayer – Host Representative
- Hermann Wachter – Ski Instructor Representative
- Lukas Kühlechner – Infrastructure and Signage
- Josef Manahl – Montafon Tourism
- Hanna Burger – Project Coordination and Organisation
The steering group defined the following working groups
- Gauertal Working Group
- Bartholomäberg Working Group
- Versettla/Garneratal Working Group
- Kardatscha/Bielerhöhe Working Group
- Rellstal Working Group
- Zeinis Working Group
- Hinteres Silbertal Working Group
The working groups
In accordance with our guiding principles, decisions on possible management measures in the individual areas are made directly at the grassroots level – the working groups. Here, all interest groups, from landowners and managers to user groups, have an active say.
Working groups and public relations
- Coordination of working groups for 10 areas (4 more in planning)
- Organisation of 3 information events as part of the Montafon Round Table
- Presentation of the project at 6 external events
- Two presentations of the project to the Environment Committee of the Vorarlberg State Parliament
- Regular contributions to print and online media and TV
- Maintenance of the website www.montafon.at/naturvertraeglicher-Bergsport
- Creation of an information flyer and distribution to all households in Montafon
- Networking with similar initiatives in the state, in particular with the umbrella campaign ‘Respect your boundaries’
Steering measures
- Uniform representation of protected and restricted areas in the ski area maps of the Montafon mountain railways (in cooperation with Respektiere deine Grenzen)
- Contribution to the uniform representation of protected and restricted areas in the Vorarlberg Atlas (tour planning section, in cooperation with Respektiere deine Grenzen)
- Collaboration on the development of detailed area information on the website www.respektiere-deine-grenzen.at/schutzgebiete
- Development of new area information boards: maps, graphics, text
- Development of a new guidance system in the terrain: direction arrows, signal buoys and ascent information boards
- Implementation and supervision of the guidance system on site
Do you have any questions, suggestions, criticism or praise? Then please feel free to contact us.
Hanna
Projekte im Lebensraum, Naturverträglicher Bergsport, Arbeitgebermarke „Team Montafon“
„Natur ist Heimat und meine Heimat ist das Montafon!“
