Since 2006, Leoganger Bergbahnen has been investing in projects aimed at reducing energy and resource consumption.

These include:

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• Participation in the flagship project “Clean Energy For Tourism” (CE4T), focusing on energy management, digitalisation and the reduction of fossil energy sources in winter tourism

• Hydraulic and electrical optimisation of snowmaking and lift systems to reduce energy consumption

• Heat recovery from lift motors to heat operational rooms, workshops and the Stöcklalm mountain restaurant

• Use of photovoltaic systems and modern drive technology, for example at the Asitzkogelbahn

• Conversion to district heating and use of locally available energy sources

For measures in this area, Leoganger Bergbahnen has received, among other recognitions, the “Umwelt Blatt Salzburg” award and recognition from the Austrian Ministry for its commitment to climate protection. Since 2019, Leoganger Bergbahnen has also been a partner of the “Salzburg 2050 Climate and Energy Strategy”.

In 2023, Saalfelden Leogang became one of the first destinations in Austria to be awarded the Austrian Ecolabel for Destinations.

As part of the certification process, various areas of destination development are assessed, including:

• Sustainability and climate strategy

• Waste disposal and waste management

• Mobility and resource management

• Involvement of businesses, municipalities and the local population

Leoganger Bergbahnen contributes to this development, among other things, as a Climate Alliance company, as a partner of the “Salzburg 2050 Climate and Energy Strategy”, and through investments in energy efficiency, mobility services and infrastructure measures.

More information about the measures in Saalfelden Leogang can be found  here

In March 2026, the Saalfelden Leogang region received an award in Madrid as part of the “UN Tourism & FIA Awards for Excellence in Sustainable Sports Tourism”.

The project recognised in the category “Innovation in Sports Tourism Development” was:

“Nature-Driven Performance: Saalfelden Leogang as a Pioneer in Eco-Friendly Mountain Bike Tourism”

The submitted project focuses, among other things, on the development and operation of bike infrastructure, international sporting events, nature and wildlife conservation, visitor management, regional value creation and the long-term development of the destination.

For new single trails, for example, nature-based construction methods and natural materials are taken into account. Further measures include visitor guidance, information on nature and wildlife conservation, as well as community initiatives such as “Loigom hoit zomm”.

You can find all further details in the press release.
You can find more information about the award here.

Together with the Saalfelden Leogang region, Leoganger Bergbahnen supports various mobility services designed to make local journeys as well as arrival and departure by public or shared transport easier.

• Guest Mobility Ticket (Pinzgau):
  With the Guest Mobility Ticket, overnight guests can use public transport in accordance with the applicable terms and conditions. This gives guests an alternative to using their own car during their stay. 

  More information can be found  here.

• Loigom-Soifen Shuttle:

  The on-demand shuttle complements the public transport services available in Leogang. Electric minibuses connect defined stops flexibly. In addition, ski bus routes and regional bus services are supported by the mountain lift companies.

• E-charging stations:

  A total of 20 EV charging points are available at the valley stations of the Asitzbahn and Steinbergbahn, including two fast chargers. Information about the charging facilities and their use is available from Salzburg AG here

• LEO Mobil - car sharing
  LEO Mobil is a car-sharing service provided by the municipality of Leogang and supported by Leoganger Bergbahnen and other partners. The service is aimed at businesses, employees and local residents. https://loigom-hoit-zomm.at/leo-mobil/

As of this year, the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts are co-operation partner of the KlimaTicket Austria.

All holders of a KlimaTicket Österreich receive a 10% discount at the ticket offices of our mountain lifts.

(10% discount on the ascent and/or descent from the current daily ticket price per person upon presentation of a valid KlimaTicket Österreich at the ticket office, not valid for online purchases, not valid on already reduced tickets).

The “Respektiere deine Grenzen” initiative  was launched in 2004 to raise awareness among visitors about sensitive habitats and wildlife refuge areas.

Information signs identify protected and quiet zones. They help to better coordinate recreational use with the protection of sensitive habitats.

Leoganger Bergbahnen supports the initiative and informs guests about the corresponding rules of conduct.

Under the motto “What you bring up the mountain, take back down to the valley”, we inform our guests about the responsible handling of waste.

We also use information materials such as the “Mountain of Senses” hiking map to remind guests to take their waste back down to the valley.

In addition, waste separation at operational sites has been further developed from the mountain down to the valley.

When it comes to guest information and printed materials, we also aim to use materials according to actual demand.

Measures include:

• Continuous reduction of print runs where digital information provides a suitable alternative

• Increased use of digital guest information, for example via the Home of the Lässig app

• Adjusting production quantities to actual demand

• Selecting paper, printing methods and production partners based on defined requirements

What you take up the mountain, take back down to the valley.

This is the principle behind our “Roll-Off instead of Tear-Off” campaign.

• Tear-offs are not permitted in the bike park.

• Please dispose of waste in the designated bins in the valley.

• Please leave parking and staging areas clean.

• During relevant campaigns, guests receive information and offers relating to roll-off systems when purchasing their ticket.

Roll-Off instead of Tear-Off!

In addition to ecological and technical measures, Leoganger Bergbahnen also supports social projects and initiatives in the region.

“Loigom hoit zomm”

Since 2018, Leoganger Bergbahnen has supported the social association “Loigom hoit zomm”, among other things through an annual KeyCard donation campaign.

Guests can place the deposit value of their KeyCard in designated donation boxes at valley stations and participating accommodation providers. The money is donated to the social association, which supports people in difficult life situations.

 “Loigom hoit zomm” (Leogang works together)

Support for regional social projects

Leoganger Bergbahnen also supports other regional institutions and initiatives.

One example is Badhaus Leogang, which supports people with disabilities and provides inclusive services. Through holiday care, leisure activities, assisted communication and individual support, the organisation promotes participation and social interaction.

When employee Hubert Eberhard donated part of his income to Badhaus Leogang, Leoganger Bergbahnen increased the amount to a total of €1,000.

In addition, Leoganger Bergbahnen has worked for many years with regional partners, farmers, businesses and associations.

During the donation ceremony, Kornel Grundner and Hubert Eberhard (from left to right) presented the cheque to Marcella Staberg from Badhaus Leogang.

To the press article 

Austria’s Best Summer Mountain Lifts have been working together for more than 20 years to further develop summer experiences on the mountain.

Member companies exchange expertise on topics including service quality, year-round tourism, employment, mobility and management of natural areas.

Together, they have defined goals and measures for various areas.

More information about the jointly defined goals and measures can be found  here.

The Bavarian “Saalforests” - St. Martin Forestry – Bavarian State Forests

The "Saalforste" is the name given to the Bavarian forests in Salzburg's Pinzgau region, which were once used for salt production in the Bad Reichenhall salt works. The wood was floated down the Saalach river and used for the boiling of salt in Reichenhall. The Bavarian Saalforests are a special feature of the Bavarian State Forests, as they are located in Austria.

As early as 1228, there was an agreement "wood for salt" between the Archbishop of Salzburg and the Duke of Bavaria and subsequently various other treaties. Most recently, the "Salt Works Convention" of 1829 - renewed in 1957 with the oldest state treaty still in force in Europe - regulated the following: "The Royal Bavarian Government is authorised to fell, harvest or export the sustainable timber yield of all its Saalforests without exception of any type of wood; to sell unmilled wood..." At the same time, in 1829/1957 Salzburg's salt mining on Berchtesgaden territory was regulated:

(Excerpt from the Salt Works Convention 1st Section, Art. 1) "...  A mining area of the Hallein am Dürrnberg salt works has been designated to The Republic of Austria for the operation of salt mines on Bavarian territory..." "The Free State of Bavaria retains irrevocable ownership...

(List of land owned by Saalforest areas at the time of entry into force of the 1957 Convention)..."

The forests of the forestry company stretch between the Berchtesgaden High Alps in the east and the Chiemgau Mountains in the north to the central Alpine areas in Leogang in the south. The Bavarian State Forests maintain the forests according to the principle of "sustainable management". In times of climate change, the aim of the forestry operation is to create mixed mountain forests with a mix of tree species. These guarantee that three central tasks of the forestry operation are kept in balance: Firstly, the forest should be maintained in an exemplary manner and the habitat of rare animal and plant species should be protected and preserved. Secondly, the forest is for the people; for recreation and as a workplace for its own employees and workers in rural areas. Thirdly, the forestry operation of the Bavarian State Forests should be economically successful.

Some key forestry operation data

• Employees: 30
• Annual logging: 50,000 solid cubic metres
•  Game hunted on around 15,300 hectares: 380 roe deer, 160 chamois, 130 red deer

Use – Protect – Recover:

Forestry makes a significant contribution to the value of the region through sustainable use of wood and its sale and use in the region.

Around 2/3 of the Saalforstwald forests are protected forests, which are extremely important for soil protection, water retention, avalanche protection and high-quality drinking water.

In the Leogang district, in close collaboration with the Leogang lift company and the tourism association, tourist use is also made possible on forestry land in addition to the core businesses of forestry and hunting and grazing rights. This means multiple use with mutual consideration in summer and winter on the slopes, with numerous downhill routes and forest tracks open to cyclists and numerous hiking trails.

 The coniferous forests, which originate from the salt industry, consist mainly of spruce, fir and larch. The beech tree species was more common 1000 years ago, but as heavy wood it was problematic to transport it far and it burnt at too high a temperature for the brewing pans in Bad Reichenhall, where the salt was boiled.

In times of climate change, the Bavarian Saalforests are now once again introducing many mixed tree species, such as beech for example, in the make up of their forest stock as the average annual temperature in the region has increased by a good 2 degrees Celsius in the last 100 years and mixed forests are more stable and resistant than pure coniferous ones.            

Company organisation: 1 forest manager, 1 service point manager, 4 employees in the office, 5 district managers (foresters), 2 professional hunters, 15 forest workers, 2 forestry masters

The raised bog in Leogang on the Kniestichkogel is located at an altitude of 1532 metres and covers an area of 5105 m². The peat mosses store rainwater like a sponge and keep the soil acidic. Species diversity in the raised bog is low because only specialised plants can cope with the acidic, constantly wet nutrient conditions. The raised bog grows about 1 millimetre per year, which is why a bog with a four-metre thick layer of peat is about 4000 years old. Protected bogs are important for climate protection because they store carbon dioxide. Digging in raised bog areas allows oxygen to enter the peat layers and mineralisation to begin. This breaks down the peat and turns it into humus. Carbon dioxide escapes. As a result of the oxygen input, the habitat is lost and cannot be restored. Degraded peatlands, e.g. those that have been drained, can be restored so that the remaining peat horizon does not decompose further. Such peatland restoration projects have become more common in recent years. This is partly due to the climate crisis and the ability of peatlands to store carbon. The raised bog 1 NO Asitz is protected under Section 24 of the Salzburg Nature Conservation Act, as amended, and the site is also protected under the Plant Protection Ordinance. This means that the habitat is fully protected and no intervention, i.e. construction or drainage of the area, is allowed. We see it as our duty to educate our guests about this special bog and to give environmental protection the importance it deserves in tourism.

There are two different types of biotope in the area between the Asitz and Steinberg valley stations. A biotope is defined as a habitat and the plant and animal species that live in it, regardless of whether it is dry or wet. This is a fen on the one hand and an amphibian biotope on the other. The fen occurs naturally on the site and the amphibian biotope was offered by Leoganger Bergbahnen as a compensatory measure in the course of a project realisation.
as a compensatory measure. 

Why mitigation measures? In order to carry out interventions or projects in the open countryside, a nature conservation exemption permit must be obtained. An application to the competent authority initiates an inspection and negotiations with the responsible parties. During the negotiations, the project and the intervention are examined and it is decided whether a permit can be granted. The implementation of compensatory measures may be required for authorisation.  Compensatory measures must result in a significant improvement to the landscape or ecosystem. For this purpose, a compensation calculation is carried out, as one third more compensation must be created than the impact. The Leoganger Bergbahnen have therefore received an exceptional nature conservation permit to compensate for the construction of a cycle path in the area and have implemented these two measures for this project.

The ‘Summit Charter’ of Österreichs Sommer Bergbahnen promotes conscious and sustainable behaviour in the mountains.

Under the motto ‘Together on the mountain’, it provides visitors with simple but effective rules for a responsible experience of nature.

Core principles of the charter:

• Preserve nature: Avoid littering and respect the environment.
• Enjoy safely: Be well prepared with the right equipment when out and about.
• Respect animals: Keep your distance from wild animals and keep dogs on a leash.
• Live mountain culture: Stay on the paths, close gates and park considerately.

The charter also contains important emergency numbers and contact information for cable cars in Austria.

The initiative appeals to all mountain visitors to make a positive contribution to the preservation of the alpine landscape through small gestures.Charta_Sommerbergbahn.pdf

Winter tourism is an important part of the regional economy and employment.

At the same time, lifts, snowmaking systems, buildings and other tourism infrastructure require energy and resources. For this reason, we continuously work on opportunities to further develop our own operations technically and reduce energy and resource consumption.

Here you can find further information and external sources on topics such as:

• Ecology and environmental topics relating to mountain liftsOEW_Winter-Factsheet_Nachhaltigkeit.pdfinfografik-seilbahnen.pdfoesterreichs-seilbahnen-wissenswertes.pdf

• Energy and snowmakingseilbahnen-und-energie-factsheet.pdf

• Economic value creation through winter tourismOEW_Winter-Factsheet_Wertschoepfung.pdfWertschöpfung Infographic Österreich neu.pdf

• Snow reliabilityOEW_Winter-Factsheet_Schneesicherheit.pdf

• The ski industry and ski schoolsOEW_Winter-Factsheet_Skiindustrie.pdfOEW_Winter-Factsheet_Skischulen.pdf