Nature-friendly mountain sports

in the Montafon

More and more people are discovering mountain sports away from secured pistes and routes - be it freeriding, ski touring, snowshoeing or biking. What means recreation for many also brings challenges for sensitive natural areas: the flora and fauna in the mountains react sensitively to disturbances, and the pressure to use previously quiet areas is increasing.

With the "Nature-friendly mountain sports in the Montafon" initiative, various stakeholders are working together to defuse existing conflicts of interest and find viable solutions - for wild animals, forests and the respectful practice of winter sports in open terrain.

Launch of the initiative

In summer 2017, the Vorarlberg Mountain Guide Association, Montafon Tourism and the Verwall-Klostertal Mountain Forests Nature Conservation Association jointly initiated a project that focuses on winter sports away from secured pistes and trails.

The aim was to seek dialog with all those involved - from landowners and managers to various user groups. Specific solutions for selected areas were then developed in several working groups. In addition, a steering group was set up, which has since been taking up concerns from the population and continuously developing the initiative.

What we want to achieve:

"Our aim is to defuse existing tensions in the area of nature and mountain sports. We protect our natural areas while preserving free access to nature in the best possible way."

Hanna Burger, project coordinator

  • Protecting habitats and species
  • Acknowledging the importance of protected areas and quiet zones for native wildlife
  • Preserving free access to nature
  • Supporting management measures and restrictions based on the principle of "as little as possible, as much as necessary"
  • Maintaining an open, respectful culture of discussion
  • Involvement of all interested stakeholders
  • Joint public relations work, education, awareness-raising and information
  • Preference for voluntary, jointly reached agreements

Measures implemented to date

The activities of the "Nature-friendly winter sports in the Montafon" group focus on the coordination of the working groups, broad public relations work and the planning and implementation of steering 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 organize the working groups and initiate all steps necessary for the implementation of the agreements reached.

In addition, the steering group takes care of broad communication of the measures, their standardization (e.g. uniform map layouts) and networking with other initiatives in the state, in particular with the state programme Respect Your Borders. This ensures that the steering measures of the individual regions can be coordinated in a meaningful way.

The following working groups were defined by the steering group
  • Gauertal working group
  • Bartholomäberg working group
  • AG Versettla-/Garneratal
  • Working group Kardatscha/Bielerhöhe
  • AG Rellstal
  • AG Zeinis
  • AG Hinteres Silbertal
The working groups

In accordance with our guiding principles, decisions on possible steering measures in the individual areas are made directly at grassroots level - in the working groups. All interest groups, from landowners to farmers and user groups, have an active say here.

Working groups and public relations
  • Coordination of working groups for 10 areas (4 more in planning)
  • Implementation of 3 information events as part of the Montafon Round Table
  • Presentation of the project at 6 external events
  • Presentation of the project twice to the environmental committee of the Vorarlberg state parliament
  • Regular articles in print and online media and TV
  • Maintenance of the website www.montafon.at/naturvertraeglicher-Bergsport
  • Creation of an information flyer and distribution to all Montafon households
  • Networking with comparable initiatives in the state, in particular with the umbrella campaign "Respect your borders"
Steering measures
  • Uniform presentation of the protected and restricted areas in the slope maps of the mountain railroads in the Montafon (in cooperation with Respektiere deine Grenzen)
  • Participation in the uniform presentation of the protected and restricted areas in the Vorarlberg Atlas (tour planning section, in cooperation with Respektiere deine Grenzen)
  • Participation in 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