Mountain-hut managers together in Friuli
On 21 and 22 November, hut managers in the Dolomites World Heritage Site came together in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, between Erto e Casso, Cimolais and Claut, for their eighth annual meeting.
The event, organised by the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, is part of a longstanding programme of ongoing support for hut managers, who represent front-line custodians of the area and the values of UNESCO status, exercising an increasingly valuable and complex role.
THE AGENDA
With collaboration of the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites, the Pordenone mountain hut and the Friuli-Venezia Giulia regional authority, hut managers from across the provinces containing the nine Dolomite Systems enjoyed an absorbing experience, sharing their thoughts and mapping the complex web of problems and opportunities that characterise this mountain area.
“We recognise that in order to pass this World Heritage Site on to future generations, we must face the challenges of the climate crisis, high tourist flows and the changing ways in which people visit and treat the mountains. These are the topics that animated discussion amongst hut managers,” — explained UNESCO Dolomites Foundation Director Mara Nemela — “dialogue was intense, and all the more useful for this reason, as we recognise that the sharing of experiences from different areas with different problems has enormous value, particularly considering the necessity of managing the World Heritage Site as a single entity.”
A WARNING OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FROM VAJONT
As usual, the first day was dedicated to increasing familiarity with the landscape and geological context of the local areas. This began with a hike in wild Val Cimoliana, out to the Campanile di Val Montanaia viewpoint, followed by a few words of welcome from Alleris Pizzut, CAI Pordenone President, and Giovanni Duratti, CAI Friuli-Venezia Giulia President. This was followed by a lunch made with local products prepared by the managers of the Pordenone hut, Marika Freschi and Ivan Da Rios.
Guided by geologist and naturalist, Antonio Cossutta, the day continued with a visit to the Vajont Dam and the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites Visitor Centre in Erto, which houses the exhibition “Vajont, images and memories”. Welcomed by the mayor of Erto and Casso, along with the President of the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites and member of the BoD of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation, Antonio Carrara, and Park Director, Graziano Danelin, the hut managers had a chance to reflect on the perpetual warning tied to the memory of events in Vajont, highlighting the unquestionable responsibility upon mankind to treat nature with respect.
MAPPING PRIORITIES: CONFIRMATION AND SURPRISES
The second day of the event was also very fruitful, hosted by the Natural Park of the Friulian Dolomites Visitor Centre in Cimolais and opened with a greeting from the Deputy-Mayor of Cimolais, Claudia Furlan and the Mayor of Claut, Gionata Sturam.
Hut managers took stock of the summer season that had come to a close, highlighting positives, negatives and new developments, and summarising the impacts of the climate crisis, perception of overtourism and levels of visitor awareness.
This process identified great variation from area to area, but nearly all present shared the view that the environment around mountain huts was changing rapidly, with new logistical demands and poor awareness and levels of preparation of visitors to the Dolomites, who often engage in incorrect behaviour. Many managers highlighted how, partly due to the emulative effect generated by social media, more and more people were camping out in bivouacs or tents (ignoring rules prohibiting this) not due to emergencies but simply to enjoy an outdoor experience, yet expecting to then utilise the services provided by the mountain huts.
BACK ON THE TRAIL… DOWN IN THE VALLEY
The UNESCO Dolomites Foundation provided an overview of the initiatives through which it has continued to support hut managers, with particular reference to the #mountainhutlife project. Through the summer, this series of events touched down in many mountain huts across the Dolomites, working to raise awareness among visitors of the managers’ role and continuing activity to promote the values of the World Heritage Site and activity of those living in the mountains with the Noi Dolomiti videos and #mountainhutlife short clips.
The programme of events will continue, broadening its scope to include the valleys, where it will focus on a preventive mountain information and education campaign.
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.
