Study Visit Österreich

After our insights into Slovakian trail management through OTI Slovakia in Nitra, we welcomed our project partners from Slovakia and Serbia to the Naturefriends hut in Knofeleben to present Austrian Naturefriends' trail management. Together with the Austrian Naturefriends national trails team, the international group was introduced to various areas of Naturefriends trail management. Our guests were given practical insights at a trail construction site in the field, we discussed differences and similarities to trail markings and exchanged views on the management of digital trail databases.

Trail maintenance in Austria is facing major challenges due to a lack of funding and an ever decreasing number of volunteer trail maintainers. With TRAILS, we want to offer a solution and motivate young people to get involved in trail maintenance. In addition to the practical input, this was another focus of our study visit. The different experiences of the participants from the three countries provided exciting impetus to try out new approaches. Concrete activities were developed and synergies between the cooperation partners were identified.

In the coming months, all three partner organisations will try to implement the knowledge gained in local events. The final study visit to our Serbian colleagues from MAS (Mountaineering Association of Serbia) will take place in spring, where we will further develop our previous results.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the EU executive agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.