Experiencing and Preserving Nature: 9 Rules for Outdoor Enthusiasts

In Saalfelden Leogang, nature is one of our greatest treasures. To ensure it remains that way, consideration and mindful coexistence are essential. One person who has embodied this awareness for years is Hannes Unterrainer – senior host at the Kirchenwirt, passionate athlete, and dedicated hunter from Leogang. He knows: only by respecting nature’s limits can we continue to enjoy its beauty in the future.

Why limits matter

The initiative "Respect the Mountains" was launched back in 2004. The reason: more and more people are spending time in the mountains all year round – hiking, biking, skiing, or ski touring. That’s wonderful, but it also means that wildlife is increasingly disturbed.

Hannes explains: "Animals sense us long before we see them. Especially in winter, fleeing from us costs them enormous energy – sometimes so much that they don’t survive the season." Even in summer, encounters off marked trails cause stress and displacement. Wildlife then retreats into forests and fields, where it can cause damage – a problem that also affects farmers and foresters.

That’s why quiet zones and protected areas are not restrictions, but sanctuaries – for animals, plants, and ultimately for us humans. Because only a stable, healthy ecosystem can last in the long term.

Hunting, forests & balance

The truth is: with the return of wolves, lynxes, golden jackals, and bears, wild animals are once again under greater pressure. All the more important that we humans do not take away even more of their habitat. At the same time, hunting plays a role in regulating wildlife populations and maintaining a healthy balance between forest and game.

"It’s not about who prevails in nature," says Hannes, "but about keeping humans, animals, and forests in balance. Only then do alpine farming, forestry, and tourism have a future."

The 9 rules for respectful coexistence

Whether hiker, biker, skier, or ski tourer – each of us can make a difference. The code of conduct from “Respect the Mountains” sums it up in nine simple rules:

  1. Keep your distance: Avoid contact with grazing livestock, don’t scare or feed them. Always keep a safe distance.

  2. Take your trash with you.

  3. Respect quiet zones and restricted areas: They are refuges for wildlife and rare plants. Avoid forest edges and snow-free patches – they are favorite spots for wild animals.

  4. Stay on track: Stick to ski slopes, designated freeride routes, and marked hiking and biking trails so animals aren’t disturbed.

  5. Keep dogs on a leash: Mother cows protect their calves, so avoid encounters between cows and dogs. Always keep your dog under control and on a leash.

  6. Give way generously: If livestock blocks your path, pass with plenty of space.

  7. Yield calmly: If livestock comes close, stay calm, don’t turn your back, but try to move out of the way.

  8. Close gates: Fences are important to keep livestock in. If there’s a gate, close it properly after passing.

  9. Show respect: Be friendly to people on the alpine pastures, meadows, and slopes – and treat nature and animals with care.

A shared responsibility

Saalfelden Leogang stands for contrasting experiences between sport and culture, village and town. To preserve this, we all need to stay mindful. True relaxation can only be found where people and nature live in harmony.

Thank you for helping keep our region so special – for yourselves, for future generations, and for those who call it home.

 

 

Photos: Julian Gruber, Hannes Unterrainer, Sportalpen, Andreas Putz