Cable car summit charter: “TOGETHER ON THE MOUNTAIN” – Salzburg focuses on a sense of responsibility

The mountains are simultaneously a natural environment, a habitat, an economic hub, and a recreational area. Families, hikers, athletes, day visitors, and locals share this space with alpine pasture and forestry operations, as well as with sensitive natural areas. For this coexistence to succeed, clear guidelines and mutual respect are essential.

With the summit charter “TOGETHER ON THE MOUNTAIN – Experience, Enjoy, Preserve,” Austria’s best summer mountain lifts are transferring proven regional experiences to a nationwide level. The shared guidelines demonstrate how nature experiences, recreation, and responsible behavior are interconnected. The initiative was presented in the Salzburg context at a press conference in the Almenwelt Lofer.

Salzburg brings experience from "Respect your limits".

“The Salzburg mountains are a valuable natural and living space. At the same time, they are an economic area, a recreational area, and an important part of our regional identity. This is precisely what should remain possible in the future: that people can experience the mountains while sensitive habitats are protected and the interests of the various user groups are taken into account,” emphasized Provincial Councillor Maximilian Aigner.

For over a decade, Salzburg has been focusing on raising awareness and managing visitor flow with its "Respect Your Boundaries" initiative. The initiative is supported by a broad coalition of hunters, tourism professionals, and those in agriculture and forestry. At its core is a collaborative approach: experiencing nature should remain possible without losing sight of sensitive habitats and the interests of other user groups.

“It’s not about bans for their own sake, but about responsible management of the mountain habitat. If we provide guidance early on, explain the connections and develop solutions together, we can defuse conflicts of use and preserve the mountain for people and nature,” said Aigner.

From regional experiences to common guidelines

The Summit Charter was developed on the initiative of the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts, in conjunction with proven regional approaches. These include, among others, "Respect Your Limits," "Tyrolean Mountain World – Experience Together," and "In Our Nature."

“We didn’t reinvent the wheel, but rather combined successful experiences from the federal states. This resulted in joint recommendations for respectful coexistence on the mountain,” explained Kornel Grundner, spokesperson for the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Railways.

The Summit Charter connects four key areas: the protection of nature and landscape, respect for wildlife, respectful interaction with mountain culture and infrastructure, and a safe and responsible mountain experience. From this, concrete recommendations are derived – from taking your own trash with you and staying on marked trails to the proper handling of dogs and grazing animals, and respecting barriers, gates, and designated protected areas. Preparing for the mountain experience is also part of it: paying attention to current weather conditions, using appropriate equipment, and adapting your behavior to the conditions.

For the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts, the Summit Charter is another building block in their quality and sustainability initiative. The seal of approval currently includes 84 member businesses with 101 themed mountains. These businesses meet at least 100 quality criteria and undergo recertification every three years. "The Summit Charter is not just a communication tool. It's an integral part of our criteria catalog. During initial certification and recertification processes, we examine whether and how the content is made visible to guests. Crucially, it's based on the underlying promise: to provide high-quality mountain experiences while simultaneously taking responsibility for nature, wildlife, the cultural landscape, and the people who live on the mountain," says Grundner.

Almenwelt Lofer demonstrates implementation in practice

The certified family adventure mountain Almenwelt Lofer exemplifies the practical implementation of shared guiding principles. The summit charter provides a common framework while allowing flexibility to adapt the guidelines to local conditions. Around 700 cattle graze on the alpine pasture in Lofer during the summer. Closed gates protect the animals from injury, ingesting unsuitable feed, or interbreeding with other animals from which they are separated. This protects both the alpine farming practices and the people who use the mountain. "It's important for us to explain why certain behaviors are crucial. Our mountain guests should understand the impact of their actions," explains Josef Aichhorn, Managing Director of Almenwelt Lofer.

Therefore, the information is also posted where people travel and make decisions – on the ascent, at stations, in the hiking area, and in direct conversations with staff. "The strength of the summit charter lies in combining shared fundamental values ​​with regional solutions. Our goal is a mountain where people feel welcome and can find their way around – and where those who live and work here are also seen and respected," Aichhorn concludes.

Shared responsibility on the mountain

The summit charter is aimed at everyone who uses the mountain. It makes it clear: A good mountain experience is not solely created by infrastructure and services, but also by the behavior of everyone involved.

The state, mountain railways, regions, agriculture, forestry, nature conservation, locals and visitors all contribute to preserving the mountain environment as a living, economic, and recreational space. "TOGETHER ON THE MOUNTAINS – Experience, Enjoy, Preserve" thus represents a shared promise: The mountains should remain places where people can experience and enjoy nature – and which we preserve together.