Mountain tourism in danger: grouse need your protection!

Mountain tourism in danger: grouse need your protection!

Mountain tourism in the Alps is booming. But with the increase in the number of visitors there is also an increasing burden on the grouse, which are threatened with extinction, including the capercaillie, the black grouse and the rock ptarmigan. To counteract this trend, the exciting EUREGIO project “Rough-legged Grouse – Raising Mountain Tourist Awareness” was recently launched, which aims to help raise awareness of the need to protect these unique species. lra-gap.de reports that the initiators, Daniela Feige and Mathilde Cuchet, act as area supervisors for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district.

As part of the project, 50 mountain huts in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district and in the Karwendel Nature Park in Austria are actively involved. A nature-friendly approach to the mountains is advocated here. This is done by distributing beer mats that not only show pictures of the grouse, but also provide important information about environmentally friendly behavior in the mountains. It is noteworthy that the beer mat holders are made from regional maple wood in collaboration with the Werdenfels workshops.

Unique habitats under pressure

Grouse habitats are popular recreational areas that are under high pressure from mountain tourism. Disturbances, particularly during twilight periods, affect the already declining populations of these birds. This insight prompted the project initiators to address mountain tourists directly and encourage them to behave more consciously. This is also supported by the results of a pilot project that was positively rated by mountain hut owners in 2024.

In addition to the on-site consultations, special action days are also planned in the summer of 2025 to make visitors aware of the problems. A public lecture by Elena Weindel from the Bavarian State Office for the Environment will take place on July 24, 2025 in the Nature Park Information Center in Scharnitz and will deal with the habitats of grouse and necessary protective measures.

A common goal

The aim of the project is not only to draw attention to the dangers to grouse, but also to create greater awareness of the protection and appreciation of the Alpine natural and cultural landscape. This is supported as part of the INTERREG VI program between Austria and Bavaria, with the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district acting as the lead partner on the German side and the Karwendel Nature Park acting as an important partner on the Austrian side. The requested funds for the project amount to 6,044 euros, which will be used for various awareness-raising measures euregio-zwk.org.

The challenges posed by climate change and technical progress, such as the spread of e-bikes, are further stress factors for grouse, especially in high altitudes. Through public relations work in social media and the press, the topic should be brought to the attention of a broad mass of people in order to ultimately give these unique inhabitants of our Alps a chance of survival karwendel.org.