Global projects vying for 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award

11 Oct 2017

2017 WINNER ANNOUNCED ON 21 OCTOBER IN SHIRAZ, IRAN

Twenty-two international projects have been nominated for the 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award. From Croatian caves to the European Alps, Everest to Patagonia and Denali to Damavand, the 2017 Award unites a rich, diverse array of projects across climate change, culture and education, waste management and disposal, conservation of biodiversity and resources and energy consumption.

Taking into account the 2017 edition, the UIAA Mountain Protection Award has now showcased over 80 projects from 37 countries during its five-year history. New countries this year include Colombia, Croatia, Lebanon and the Philippines. The benefits of being part of the Award are not only felt by the winner, recipient of a cash prize and international promotion through the UIAA network, but by all showcased projects. Details about each project are currently being shared through the UIAA’s social media channels and each nominee receives a dedicated UIAA MPA logo as confirmation that their project has been assessed and approved by a UIAA panel of assessors. Being part of an international network also enables projects to exchange ideas, best practices and discuss common challenges.

The 2017 Award winner will be announced at the UIAA General Assembly in Shiraz, Iran on Saturday 21 October. Past winners have come from Ethiopia, Tajikistan, Nepal and France, demonstrating the global reach of the Award. As Aslisho Qurboniev from 2014 winner Pamir Horse Adventure explains winning the Award provides projects engaged in sustainable mountain tourism with a significant ‘jump’. “After we were selected as the winners by the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission our confidence was bolstered. Winning the Award gave us a lot of publicity, locally and internationally, both on the relevant mountain protection platforms and in the community-based tourism sector. We made good use of the opportunity to promote our activities and our tourism destinations. We devoted the financial award to sponsoring our community-based tourism activities and to attending international conferences.”

The UIAA takes the opportunity to thank the 26 projects who applied for the 2017 Award and the Mountain Protection Award Assessment Team for their commitment and expertise.

SHOWCASED PROJECTS 2017 MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD

Argentina: Mujer Montaña
Mountains for Life; Cordillera Blanca, Our Ecological Footprint

Argentina: Project Aconcagua
Implementation of human waste disposal measures at base and high altitude camps

Austria: Alpine Pearls
Supporting environmentally friendly travel

Azerbaijan: FAIREX
Less In, More Out

Cambodia: Wildlife Alliance
Community-based ecotourism in the Cardamon Mountain Range, Cambodia

Colombia: Fundación Edenes de Colombia
Acceso a paraísos de Colombia (Access to Colombia’s paradises)

Colombia:
Connecting adventure tourism with high mountain communities and local efforts to protect the environment

Croatia: Zagreb Speleological Union
Clean underground

International: Biosphere Expeditions
Mountain protection worldwide through citizen science and volunteering

Iran: I.R Iran Mountaineering & Sport Climbing Federation
Waste Management, Education Mountaineers and Cultural Affairs in Damavand

Ireland: Help the Hills
Tallaght: ‘Gateway to the Dublin Mountains’