Nature Friends Austria: The cultural asset “huts and paths” must be preserved for future summers!

During the summer holidays, locals and tourists alike are drawn “up” into the mountains. Refuges and alpine paths offer orientation and security to those seeking relaxation, but they themselves are in an acute emergency.

Austria’s refuges: They are reporting points for Alpine emergencies and a foundation of tourism. The mountains and the range of hiking trails are the two most frequently cited reasons for a summer holiday in Austria. The Nature lovers maintain over 7,500 km of hiking trails and are responsible for over 130 huts and houses, many of them in high alpine locations.

No Naturefriends hut can finance the maintenance costs despite existing subsidies from ongoing hut operations. That’s why the alpine clubs have one together at the end of May Emergency call from the Alps discontinued. Since the petition was launched, there have been ongoing discussions with representatives of all parties in Austria: “We are holding discussions with numerous responsible parties at federal and state levels and are working to ensure that our concerns are treated favorably,” says Andreas Schieder, chairman of nature lovers in Austria. “Our goal is to put together an appropriate package at the federal level that will enable us to implement urgent renovation measures and, in some cases, replacement buildings.”

The Naturfreunde Wiesberghaus, for example, has already been extensively renovated and has now been chosen as the Naturfreunde Hut of the Year 2024. The Naturfreunde’s alpine competence center is supplied exclusively with rainwater and on sunny days the PV system generates enough electricity for the entire hut. Every year, over 9,000 officials are trained at the Nature Friends Academy, many of whom also work in the Wiesberghaus. Günter Abraham, Federal Managing Director of the Friends of Nature, said: “With our alpine infrastructure, we direct the flow of visitors to ensure a considerate treatment of nature. Since our founding, we have stood for people from different cultures, religions and ethnic backgrounds working together together. The sense of community in a hut and on the mountain can make a valuable contribution here.”