The Alpine Network of Protected Areas
For outdoor enthusiasts, the Alps are getting increasingly attractive. In winter, more and more people are drawn to explore beyond ski resorts and venture deeper into the mountains for ski mountaineering, free-riding or snowshoeing. But also in summer, the mountains are a popular destination for outdoor sports enthusiasts who explore nature whilst hiking, biking or climbing. The current leisure trends have largely augmented the number of visitors in protected areas and other sensitive areas in the Alps, thereby increasing the impacts on wildlife and the Alpine environment.
Although many organisations and public bodies in the Alpine countries have long been engaged in awareness-raising communication, wildlife disturbance and its impacts are still a major concern in many areas. To increase the awareness of the problem among outdoor participants and contribute to the visibility of the many existing initiatives, the Alpine network of protected areas ALPARC has developed the joint communication initiative: “Be Part of the Mountain”.
Humans are a part of the Alpine environment. As such, people who engage in outdoor sports need to consider nature and indigenous wildlife in the Alps and act responsibly to preserve it. Today, many impacts occur through ignorance rather than bad intention.