Mountain-hut managers together in Friuli

There comes a time, after finishing the work following the closure of the huts, when mountain-hut managers take stock of the season and consider how to continue with increasingly important efforts to guide mountain tourism towards greater awareness of the environmental context, climate change, and the importance of respectful and prudent behaviour. On 21 and 22 November, hut managers in the core area of the Dolomites World Heritage Site will meet in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, between Erto e Casso, Cimolais and Claut.

Rifugio Pordenone in Friuli Venezia Giulia

A LONG TRAIL

Plenty of elevation gain and distance are ideal characteristics for the trails hiked by the managers. The first meet-up in 2017 was in Predazzo (Trento), the second in Bressanone (Bolzano), the third in Val di Zoldo (Belluno), the fourth online due to Covid, the fifth in Primiero (Trento), the sixth in St. Vigil (Bolzano) and last year’s was in Pieve di Cadore (Belluno) with the idea of continuing the #mountainhutlife communication campaign, but transferring it from social media to real life.

The meeting in Friuli will also provide an opportunity to assess the summer events organised by the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation together with mountain-hut managers and understand how to continue spreading awareness in a world which, in terms of communication, has undergone radical changes, often headed in the direction of further banalization of the Dolomite environment and of experiences in the mountains.

VISITING VAJONT

The first day, however, will be dedicated as usual to increasing familiarity with the landscape and geological context of the local areas, in this case the Friulian Dolomites. This will be made possible thanks to collaboration of the Friulian Dolomites Natural Park, managers of the Pordenone mountain hut Marika Freschi and Ivan Da Rios, and the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

After heading out to the Campanile di Val Montanaia viewpoint and enjoying lunch at the Pordenone mountain hut with high-quality produce from the Dolomites World Heritage Site, the hut managers will visit the Vajont dam and the Visitors Centre of the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites in Erto. This underlines their commitment as custodians of the Natural Heritage, in precisely the place where actions rooted in exploitation and profit were allowed to prevail, with catastrophic consequences.

This activity is part of the project “Capacity building. Strengthening the social and regional capital of the Dolomites World Heritage Site (WHS) for lasting and sustainable development of local communities”, established with the support of Fondo Comuni Confinanti.