Mountain Wilderness
In defence of mountains, the world over
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Bernard Marclay September 12, 2014 720 × 960 pixels
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Want to see mountain nature better protected? Join us!

“Mountain wilderness” refers to any pristine, untouched mountain environment, where anyone can experience vast open spaces, silence, solitude, nature. “The value of wilderness therefore lies above all in its potential to stimulate a creative relationship between civilised man and the natural environment. It is the degree of authenticity of this relationship that gives a non-ephemeral meaning to adventure.”

This definition dates back to 1987, when the Biella theses, our manifesto, were written. They marked the birth of Mountain Wilderness.

Mountain Wilderness International (MWI) is the umbrella organisation of the national chapters of Mountain Wilderness. It facilitates communication and exchange among national chapters, coordinates and organises international projects and actions and officially represents the organisation in its relations with governments, authorities, international institutions and non-governmental organisations.

If you share our ideas and you wish to help us, please join a national chapter. Mountain Wilderness has chapters in a dozen countries.

Mountain Wilderness International

1 day ago

Mountain Wilderness International
Our water towers - in the Himalayas, the Alps, the Rockies and the Andes - are shrinking.Two days after the alarming presentation of the new IPCC report, where IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee underscored " the urgency of taking more ambitious action”, today on World Water Day, we share just one of the many examples of how climate change is affecting every single aspect of our lives.#WorldWaterDay ... See MoreSee Less

Repeated droughts and climate change mean 'glaciers are suffering and mountains look like they do in May'

www.lemonde.fr

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Mountain Wilderness International

2 days ago

Mountain Wilderness International

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Mountain Wilderness International

5 days ago

Mountain Wilderness International
What is snowpack and why is so critical to life in the West? Millions of people in the U.S. rely on the melting of snow for drinking water, agriculture etc. But even amid near-record snows in California, snowpack levels are steadily declining#snopack #snow #water #MountainsMatter ... See MoreSee Less

What is snowpack and why is so critical to life in the West?

www.nationalgeographic.com

Millions of people in the U.S. rely on the melting of snow for drinking water, agriculture, and more. But even amid near-record snows in California, snowpack levels are steadily declining.
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Mountain Wilderness International

1 week ago

Mountain Wilderness International
As climate change accelerates melting of glaciers and ice, the work of guides and porters is becoming increasing perilous. With few benefits available to bereft families, more mountain guides are pondering whether it might be time to give up profession. #glaciers #mountains #MountainsMatter #sherpas #HKH #Nepal ... See MoreSee Less

Widows of Nepal's sherpa guides fear rising climate-fuelled risks

www.eco-business.com

Climate change is making mountains like Everest more dangerous yet relatives of guides who die bemoan a lack of government support.
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Mountain Wilderness International

2 weeks ago

Mountain Wilderness International
Tibet is known as the "Water Tower of Asia". The rapid melting of glaciers and snowpack due to regional temperature increases, and exacerbated by the warming of northern Atlantic and Indian oceans, has caused an unprecedented decline in water availability.#mountainsmatter #mountainlovers #glaciers #Tibet #globalwarming ... See MoreSee Less

How climate change threatens Asia's water tower

www.sciencedaily.com

Tibet is known as the 'Water Tower of Asia,' providing water to about 2 billion people and supporting critical ecosystems in High Mountain Asia and the Tibetan Plateau, where many of the largest Asian...
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fao Food and Agriculture Organization @fao ·
4 Feb

Our #MountainsMatter!

They may only cover 27% of the Earth's land surface, but mountains provide freshwater, energy & food - resources that will be increasingly scarce in coming decades.

Learn more👉 https://bit.ly/3Fz6z7y

Reply on Twitter 1621980665372884995 Retweet on Twitter 1621980665372884995 47 Like on Twitter 1621980665372884995 128 Twitter 1621980665372884995
mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
6 Feb

In #Kiruna, part of Sapmi and home to #Sweden's highest mountain #Kebnekaise, the industrialisation of a once pristine environment is having a devastating impact on indigenous reindeer-herding #Sami people and their thousand year-old traditions #mining https://euobserver.com/nordics/156623

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
3 Feb

The Swat Project is approaching its end. Will you join our hiking and roped parties in Pakistan this year? Read more 🔗 @UNmountains #ISMEO #CAAI #mountainsmatter 🏔️🧗‍♂️💪
https://www.mountainwilderness.org/2023/02/02/our-swat-project-is-approaching-its-end-will-you-join-us-this-year/

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
31 Jan

Ski resorts can now make #fakesnow in 80 degrees (= 25°C). “The irony of trying to fight temperatures by using a lot more energy to make snow is pretty much using the cause [of #climatechange] to find a solution.” #artificialsnow
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/01/28/snow-machines-ski-resorts-climate-change/ via @washingtonpost

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
28 Jan

Restoring mountain ecosystems, the theme of #IMD2023, was selected to fully include #mountains in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030, co-led by @FAO and @UNEP. The aim is to significantly scale-up restoration & prevent further degradation of mountain #ecosystems 🏔️

Mountain Partnership @UNmountains

Restoring mountain ecosystems is the theme of International Mountain Day 2023 on 11 December! 🏔️ #MountainsMatter #GenerationRestoration

➡️ https://www.fao.org/mountain-partnership/news/news-detail/en/c/1629228/

📸: ©Nima Farid Mojtahedi

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Ever since the Olympics were awarded by the IOC to Ever since the Olympics were awarded by the IOC to Milan and Cortina, Mountain Wilderness has always maintained that all promises of sustainability would be betrayed, that the costs to the community would be far from those budgeted, that all procedures put in place to guarantee environmental protection (SEA) would be carefully circumvented. Article link in bio! 📷 #VytautasDranginis #Unsplash #milancortina2026 #olympics #olympics2026 #milanocortina2026 #olympicgames #sustainability #betrayal #environmentalprotection #natura2000 #alps #mountainlovers #mountainsmatter #leavenotrace #environment
We stand in solidarity with the victims of the dev We stand in solidarity with the victims of the devastating earthquake in South East Turkey and Northern Syria 📷 #NASA #TurkeySyriaEarthquake
The Swat Project comes to an end this year. The la The Swat Project comes to an end this year. The last expeditions will take place in August/September. We are once again inviting all hiking and mountaineering enthusiasts to participate in the exploration of hiking and mountaineering routes that will be included in our guidebook with a strong focus on environmental protection. 💚 This guidebook is meant to spur the Pakistani government to initiate the creation of a National Park. The project is being implemented in collaboration with ISMEO, International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies, and CAAI, Italian Academic Alpine Club, under the aegis of @unmountainsmatter For more information, link in bio 🔗 #mountainsmatter #SwatProject #guidebook #nationalpark #Pakistan #cleanclimbing #ecotourism #donoharm #leavenotrace #mountainlovers
"Women move mountains” was the theme of this yea "Women move mountains” was the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day (IMD) on 11 December. “Women play a key role in environmental protection and social and economic development in mountain areas. They are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity, keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture and experts in traditional medicine” explains FAO. A perfect fit for our “Girls in Action!” course we held this year in Pakistani Swat, 10 years after the assassination attempt on Malala Yousafzai. The course was part of The Swat Project, whose ultimate goal is to create a National Park in an area of great natural beauty, known as the ‘Switzerland of Pakistan’. There were several initiatives either organised or co-organised by MW at national and international level or in which national chapters participated. Link in bio #mountainsmatter #WomenMoveMountains #IMD2022 #InternationalMountainDay #TheSwatProject #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm
May the festive season bring us peace, love, healt May the festive season bring us peace, love, health, rest and the strength to continue fighting with renewed vigour for our beloved mountains in the New Year! ✨ #MerryChristmas #SeasonsGreetings #happyholidays #mountainwilderness #mountainsmatter #sustainability #donoharm #leavenotrace #mountainlovers #mountains #biodiversity #environment #climatecrisis
'Women play a key role in mountains' environmental 'Women play a key role in mountains' environmental protection and social and economic development' #UN We are so proud to have contributed by empowering a group of Pakistani women with our "Girls In Action!" course held this year in Swat, because #WomenMoveMountains! Happy International Mountain Day! #IMD2022 #MountainsMatter #empowerment #GirlsInAction #Swat #Pakistan #ecofriendly #mountaineering #wildlife #climbing #HKH #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm #nationalpark #mountainlovers
Grand Bornand, 930 m asl, will host the Biathlon W Grand Bornand, 930 m asl, will host the Biathlon World Cup from 15 to 18 December. There being no snow, which is quite normal at that elevation, piles of artificial snow were produced and preserved. But then the "white gold" had to be transported. A local resident said: "in a quarter of an hour, 17 truckloads of snow came up to the ski resort". That's 68 trucks per hour! In times of climate and energy crisis, just think of the consumption caused by an event like this, in terms of water and energy to make the snow, not to mention the carbon footprint of the trucks! Gold medal 🥇 for water and energy consumption to make the snow ❄️ as well as for the trucks' carbon footprint! 🚚🚚🚚 #snowfarming #climatecrisis #energycrisis #biathlon #MountainsMatter #Alps #leavenotrace #donoharm #carbonfootprint
📢 December 11 is International Mountain Day! 🗻 The year 2022 also marks the 20th anniversary from the first International Year ever devoted to mountains! Once again we have joined forces with @teatrodelburattomilano to organise a short story (in 🇮🇹) and photo contest within the framework of the Reading Mountains Festival on the themes "women move mountains", "sustainable mountain development" and "into the wild". Prizes will be awarded on #IMD2022 🔗 bit.ly/3fW51Ld (Italian only) #MountainsMatter #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers #wilderness #sustainablemountaindevelopment #womenmovemountains #intothewild #cleanclimbing #donoharm #leavenotrace
From the Austrian Pitztal-Ötztal megaproject, “ From the Austrian Pitztal-Ötztal megaproject, “Europe’s largest contiguous glacier ski resort”, to the greenwashing-sounding “Connecting Nature, Sharing Beauty” project in Italy's Aosta Valley and the cancellation of all downhill races in Zermatt-Cervinia as “senseless event and against all environmental logic”. When "Nature must be respected and accepted". #Alps #mountainsmatter #sustainablemountaintourism #skiindustry #megaproject #skiresort #cableway #Pitztal #Ötztal #CimeBianche #mountainlovers #wildlife #greenwashing #climatechange #glaciers #donoharm #leavenotrace 📷 Mountain Wilderness Germany Link in bio
Twenty young women aged between 15 and 25 took par Twenty young women aged between 15 and 25 took part in the basic course in eco-friendly mountaineering "Girls in Action!" This is one of the many courses Mountain Wilderness has held over time to train locals as guides and give them a livelihood, while protecting the environment, preserving mountains and respecting local culture and traditions. To read more, follow link in bio Many thanks to our partners ISMEO (The International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies), CAAI (Italian Academic Alpine Club), to @scarpaspa for donating 30 pairs of boots as well as to @unmountainsmatter and @banca_sella for their financial support! #empowerment #GirlsInAction #Swat #Pakistan #ecofriendly #mountaineering #wildlife #mountainsmatter #climbing #HKH #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm #nationalpark #mountainlovers
Our teams of the Swat Project 2022 are in Swat, Pa Our teams of the Swat Project 2022 are in Swat, Pakistan, right now. Some are blocked in the mountains, due to heavy rainfall and flooding, but safe. The "Girls in Action" course for eco-friendly women trekking guides was completed despite the weather this week, although rain forced trainers to cancel yesterday's field trek. Diplomas will be handed out to the trainees who completed the course tomorrow. We express our deepest sympathy to the people affected by the flash flood emergency and mourn the many dead caused by heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan. #Pakistan #Swat #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers #sustainability #livelihood #wildlife #cleanclimbing #donoharm #leavenotrace
In recent decades, via ferratas and equipped mount In recent decades, via ferratas and equipped mountain routes have conquered all the Alps, which count more than 1000 of them: ‘French-style’ ferratas are mainly built for recreational purposes, generously equipped with cables, foot and handholds etc. and, whenever possible, a suspension bridge for extreme fun. Very often, via ferratas lead to diffuse anthropisation impacts, and sometimes even dangerous overcrowding, in particularly vulnerable areas for both fauna and flora, without even measuring the environmental impact they can have before they are built. More on @mountain_wilderness_italia campaign on via ferratas in bio #viaferrata #trail #mountainwilderness #MountainsMatter #wildlife #overcrowding #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm
Safe trip and good work! 🙏💪🏔️⛰️🧗‍♀️ 🌲🌳 #swatproject22 #girlsinaction #trekking #mountaineering #Pakistan #HKH #nationalpark #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm #mountainwilderness #wildlife #mountainsmatter #mountainlovers Reposted from @mountain_wilderness_catalunya Sortint de BCN cap a l’Hindu Kush pakistanès per participar del #swatproject22 de @mountain_wilderness_intl…
Italian Nature Film Festival #25GPFF calls for gov Italian Nature Film Festival #25GPFF calls for governments and citizens to sign environmental sustainability and nature conservation charter to commit to a more sustainable world and then organises helicopter 🚁 ride in nature reserve - where tourist flights are banned - to Gran Paradiso 🏔 summit for a distinguished roped party to fake ascent to advertise it. Now, was there any need to drop this roped party 🧗‍♂️ along with H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco by helicopter on the shoulder of Gran Paradiso known as 'back of the donkey' just to take a few pics for the press 📷 and make headlines in the name of "sustainability"? Link in bio #granparadiso #gpff #granparadisofilmfestival #ValledAosta #Italy #Alps #granparadisonationalpark #sustainability #climatecrisis #glaciercrisis #whateverittakes #donoharm #cleanclimbing #helicopter #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #wildlife #naturereserve #greenwashing
The tragedy that struck dozens of hikers and mount The tragedy that struck dozens of hikers and mountaineers has shaken us all deeply. We mourn the dead and express our sympathy to their families and the injured. It is, however, a tragedy that must make us reflect. The disaster struck one day after a record high temperature of 10 degrees Celsius was recorded at the glacier’s summit. Italy currently has about 920 glaciers, almost entirely in the Alps. In the last 20 years, the country has lost 25 percent of the water from those shrinking glaciers, and melting glaciers and permafrost weakens the mountains, causing glacier collapse, rockfalls, landslides, mudflows, debris and slushflows. Link in bio 📷 courtesy of CNSAS, Italian Alpine Cliff and Cave Rescue Corps #Marmolada #glacier #Dolomites #Alps #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers
📷 Girls in Action! First course for women trek 📷 Girls in Action! First course for women trekking guides in SWAT S ustainable W omen A dventure-Nature-Culture T raining How many years have passed since the day the young and brave Malala Yousafzai was shot by Islamic fundamentalists? Today, in that very same Swat valley, surrounded by the southernmost peaks of the Himalayan mountains, a small but significant revolutionary event is about to take place, involving twenty-four girls like Malala and – just like her – determined to shape their own destiny. To find out more click the link in bio #Swat #HKH #pakistan #mountainlovers #mountainsmatter #girlpower #mountaineering #hiking #trekking #nature #culture #wildlife #cleanclimbing #donoharm
Today is World Environment Day! 2022 is a histori Today is World Environment Day! 2022 is a historic milestone: it marks 50 years since the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, where the idea of World Environment Day was formalised, with the first one being celebrated in 1973. This year’s theme is #OnlyOneEarth. Did you know that we are using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to maintain our current way of life? Ecosystems cannot keep up with our demands. Our lifestyles are associated with two thirds of all greenhouse gas emissions. Studies show that sustainable lifestyles and behaviours could reduce our emissions by 40 to 70% by 2050. There are a lot of actions that we as individuals can put in place to make a difference. What are you doing to make this a better place? 📷 #WorldEnvironmentDay #WED2022 #OnlyOneEarth #mountainsmatter #mountainlovers #mountainwilderness #nature #wildlife #donoharm #leavenotrace #cleanclimbing
The General Assembly (GA) of Mountain Wilderness I The General Assembly (GA) of Mountain Wilderness International took place last weekend in Switzerland 🇨🇭 with participants from Catalonia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. It was the first GA in presence since 2019. The outgoing board was re-elected: Jordi Quera - President (Catalonia) Gabriella Suzanne Vanzan - Vice-President (Italy) Gotlind Blechschmidt - Vice-President (Germany) Karin Lankes - Secretary General (Germany) Susanna Gonella - Treasurer (Italy) were joined by Gilles Privat - Vice-President (France) Congrats to the team! 👏 📷 Marta Corrà 🔗 in bio #mountains #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #GA2022 #donoharm #leavenotrace #mountainlovers #wildlife #Alps #cleanclimbing
After 3 years we finally met in person! 👏 Our After 3 years we finally met in person! 👏 Our General Assembly 2022 took place last weekend at the hut Les Sommets 🇨🇭 in Canton Vaud's Jura 🏔️ with an amazing view on Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. More info this week! 🙏 @Satorizmagasinsbio 🇫🇷 for the generous food supplies! #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #GeneralAssembly2022 #Alps #leavenotrace #cleanclimbing #donoharm #wildlife 💚
We can't wait! After more than two years, we will We can't wait! After more than two years, we will finally meet in presence! Our annual meeting 2022 will take place in a fortnight' time in Switzerland, in the Canton of Vaud, near Lake Geneva 📷 View from Chalet #LesSommets #mountains #MountainsMatter #mountainwilderness #wildlife #wilderness #mountaineers #mountainlovers #mountaineers #cleanclimbing #outdoors #leavenotrace #donoharm #Alps #annualmeeting
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