One of the innovations to feature as part of the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award is the Community Award. This initiative provides the opportunity for the general public to recognise the projects they feel most deserving of support.
Twelve projects have been shortlisted for the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award. As well as promotion on the UIAA website, all nominees have been profiled on the UIAA’s Facebook channel. The four projects which attracted the highest audience engagement figures on Facebook were shortlisted for a final poll to decide the inaugural Community Award winner.
Receiving over 60% of the vote, the winner of the inaugural UIAA Mountain Protection Award Community Prize is: Ama Dablam 2020 – High Altitude Mountain Cleaners
Scheduled to run from March-May 2020, the Ama Dablam project is dedicated to cleaning and removing all old fixed ropes and abandoned garbage on the normal climbing route of Ama Dablam. The very route used by most teams as the preferred ascent route (or descent itinerary for the alternative route). The Ama Dablam team will climb the route and conduct their operations in a 23-day window. Their ultimate goal is to offer a better and safer environment for the local guides and climbers. Discover more about their project here.
The three other Community Award nominated projects were:
Alpine Learning Project – Swiss Alpine Club
Mountain Sports Center – Alpine Club of Iran
Converting Organic Waste to Compressed Biogas and Fertiliser – Gandaki Urja
The overall winner of the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award (receiving 5000 USD as a cash prize) as well as the runner-up and best new initiative will be announced at the 2019 UIAA General Assembly on 2 November.
Discover more about the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award here.
