#MOUNTAINHUTLIFE for a more informed visit to the mountains
The ninth meeting of the hut managers operating in the “core” area of the Dolomites World Heritage Site took place on 13 and 14 November 2025 in Sèn Jan, Val di Fassa (Trento). The event of the UNESCO Dolomites Foundation moves location every year and has previously been hosted in Predazzo (Trento), Bressanone (Bolzano-South Tyrol), Val di Zoldo (Belluno), Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (Trento), San Vigilio di Marebbe (Bolzano-South Tyrol), Pieve di Cadore (Belluno), Claut and Cimolais (Pordenone).
Two very busy days, during which dozens of managers shared their knowledge of the territory and revisited an almost decade-long World Heritage training path, and which gave them, as always, the opportunity to reflect and discuss among themselves on how to interpret their role in a rapidly changing environmental and anthropic context. Over the years, these meetings have given life to numerous initiatives involving hut managers, true sentinels of the World Heritage site, analysing issues relating to high-altitude and communication with visitors, with the object of promoting greater responsibility and respect for the environment among the visitors of the region.
The managers enjoyed a first day dedicated to reading the geological landscape of the Catinaccio Group, in the locality of Gardecia, under the guide of Professor Piero Gianolla of the University of Ferrara, before moving to the valley floor for an overview of the host territory. The afternoon opened with greetings from Giulio Florian, Mayor of Sèn Jan, Elena Testor, Senatrice della Repubblica, Edoardo Felicetti, Procurador del Comun General de Fascia and followed by contribution by the APT Val di Fassa and Roberta Silva, manager of the Roda di Vael Hut and Chairman of Associazione Rifugi del Trentino (Trentino Mountain Hut Association). All this was then followed by discussions regarding the two main challenges for the future, namely the changes in the geological environment and the role of hut managers in view of the evolving expectations of visitors, with geologist Franco Daminato (Geological Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento) and Alessio Bertò (Head of the Technical Interventions, Alpine and Thermal Heritage Office, Tourism and Sport Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento) respectively.
The second day was dedicated, as tradition dictates, to open discussions among hut managers, focusing on past season’s performance, emerging issues, and what are by now chronic difficulties, such as those related to the water cycle (from water supply to waste water disposal) and the need for more cautious, patient, and conscious visitation. A discussion made even more interesting by the presence of interlocutors of notice, such as the Chairman of APT Val di Fassa Fausto Lorenz, geologist Piero Gianolla, Roberto Bertoldi, the Chairman of the Mountain Hut Commission of SAT – Società Alpinisti Tridentini -, and the director of the Foundation, Mara Nemela herself.
A collective reflection on the concept of limit, spanning over many different aspects: the limits already reached by some locations of the Dolomites in terms of arrivals and presences, the limits of the mountain huts themselves, which are not and must never become restaurants or hotels, the limits imposed by the climate crisis, which has exacerbated water supply issues and the need for a cautious approach when visiting mountain regions, which are always subject to rapid and often unpredictable changes. Several experiences were brought to the attention of the audience by managers operating in very different environmental, economic, and social frameworks. This differentiation makes it impossible to identify a single recipe for the sustainable visitation of the Dolomites. However, it does stimulate reflection on the complexity of the “mountain system” and the need to continue the dialogue and comparison of good practices.
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.
