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Sustainably oriented Leoganger Bergbahnen
Skiing Sustainably – Is it possible?
The Leoganger Bergbahnen are introducing more initiatives to make this a possibility.
As a guest in our region, you would naturally like to be sure that resources are being conserved as much
as possible, and that our wonderful natural environment is being respected. It's even more fun to enjoy
the contrasting, diverse winter and summer offerings if you've seen it for yourself in advance.
We would like to take this opportunity to explain to all those interested what distinguishes us as
sustainability experts.
As early as 2006, the Leoganger Bergbahnen began investing regularly in projects related to energy efficiency, sustainability, and the conservation of resources, and continue to do so as participants of lighthouse projects such as “Cleaning Energy For Tourism” (CE4T) and as the first lift company partner in the “Salzburg Climate and Energy Strategy 2050” initiative. To find out how exactly, read on:
Greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045 is enshrined in Austria's Climate Protection Act. The Leoganger Bergbahnen want to achieve this goal earlier. This is already noticeable: Compared to the winter of 2022/23, the mountain railways were able to reduce internal CO2 levels by 96 per cent. Various measures are being implemented to achieve the ambitious overall goal of no longer generating any emissions from their own activities.
Fuel changeover takes effect: mountain railway fleet almost emission-free
In winter 2022, Leoganger Bergbahnen set itself the goal of avoiding more than 90 per cent of emissions from Bergbahnen Leogang next winter. The result is impressive: Compared to the 2022/23 winter season, the cable cars were even able to reduce emissions from the vehicle fleet by 96 per cent by using HVO100 regenerative fuel. In other words, instead of 605 tonnes of CO2 in 2023/24, it was only 24 tonnes. This means that the target set has already been exceeded.
Kornel Grundner, Managing Director of Leoganger Bergbahnen: ‘I am particularly pleased that Leoganger Bergbahnen was the first cable car company in Austria to switch the entire fuel requirements of our snow groomers and vehicles to HVO100. The extremely large savings in CO2 emissions confirm our efforts and we will continue to pursue this path consistently.’
All results were evaluated and checked by Dr Endrik Lengwenat / sustainable.at, an expert in sustainability reporting.
Commitment to sustainability in many areas
The decarbonisation of operations at Leoganger Bergbahnen is having an impact, but the company is also active and committed in other areas. The mountain lifts have been investing in projects for energy efficiency, sustainability and resource conservation since 2006. By participating in lighthouse projects such as ‘Clean Energy For Tourism’ (CE4T) or as the first cable car partner for the ‘Climate and Energy Strategy Salzburg 2050’ initiative, sustainability is put into practice. The remaining in-house emissions are primarily caused by the use of biogenic energy sources to generate space heating (wood chip cogeneration plant). 100% green electricity is already used to operate the cable cars and snowmaking systems.
The Leoganger Bergbahnen are strong partners when it comes to sustainability, introducing energy
efficiency improvement measures as early as 2006, and have been recognised with numerous awards.
Such measures include for example a heat recovery system, using heat from the lift motors to heat
neighbouring spaces, workshops, and the “Stöcklalm”mountain restaurant, and employing a district
heating system. One such initiative is the Austrian Lighthouse project “Clean Energy For Tourism” (CE4T).
This has the aim of the winter tourism branch achieving carbon neutral status. Using the latest
technology, energy consumption can be optimised. For example, excess energy from the ski area is
diverted to hydroelectric storage power stations and reservoirs to reduce demand on the electricity
network, and provide energy for other businesses such as spas and hotels.
The hydraulic and electrical systems in the snowmaking facilities and lifts have been optimised. “By
doing this, we have been able to massively reduce our energy consumption” says Kornel Grundner,
director of the Leoganger Bergbahnen. “The Asitz and Steinberg lifts save around 151,000 kWh annually.
These efforts have not gone unnoticed: in 2017 the Leoganger Bergbahnen were awarded the “Umwelt
Blatt Salzburg”, and in 2018 they were recognised by the environment ministry for their commitment to
climate protection. In 2019 the Leoganger Bergbahnen became the first ski area to be partners of the
“Klima- und Energiestrategie Salzburg 2050”.
Great commitment is rewarded: Saalfelden Leogang has been certified with the Austrian Ecolabel for Destinations - as one of the first regions in the country.
The eco-label is an endeavour to make Austrian tourism more sustainable, the certification is challenging and far-reaching. Measures in the areas of sustainability, waste management, mobility and resource management, among others, are assessed for the award of the independent seal of approval. And this is exactly what Saalfelden Leogang, as a Climate Alliance business (the first tourism association in Salzburg), has been committed to for a long time.
Thomas Wurzinger, responsible for sustainability management at Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH: "The certification is a milestone in our endeavours in the area of sustainability and at the same time a guideline for the coming years. We want to be an example for other regions without pointing a finger. A sustainable destination is possible and desirable for an attractive living space for us all."
The topic of sustainability is reflected in many measures and projects in the region: green events, clean energy, value chains and climate hikes are part of Saalfelden Leogang's self-image. For example, Leoganger Bergbahnen is the first cable car company in Austria to use HVO100 fuel for its entire vehicle fleet, which is made from renewable raw materials and saves up to 90 per cent CO2. In addition, 100 per cent of the electricity required has been sourced from regional energy sources, such as hydropower, since 2018. The municipalities are also heavily involved, Saalfelden for example by participating in the e5 programme for energy efficiency and Leogang with the use of the Loigom Soifen Shuttle. Saalfelden Leogang is not only a Climate Alliance company, but also a member of respACT.
You will find further information on sustainability in Saalfelden Leogang here
In 2004, the “Respektiere deine Grenzen” initiative was introduced, with the aim of systematically
creating extensive protection for sensitive habitats. To avoid people and nature treading on each other’s
toes, signs have been erected, clearly marking such areas. Flora and fauna thus not only have a voice,
but also the space that they actually need. The Leoganger Bergbahnen are making the public aware of
this project through all major media channels, and in doing so are promoting sustainability in nature.
The topic of the avoidance of rubbish in the mountains comes up again and again. Going under the
motto “whatever you take up the mountain, you have to bring back down”, in future more will be done
to make guests more aware of the issue. For example, all media channels will be used, including the
“Mountain of Senses” hiking map, to convey the message that there are no rubbish bins in the
mountains, because there can be no rubbish collection service.
Over the last year, the Leoganger Bergbahnen have placed emphasis on the topic of “waste separation”,
and carried the concept through from the mountains down into the valley. Every summer the biking community organises a joint campaign - find out more in the 'Clean the Trail Days' and 'Keep the Bikepark Leogang clean' sections.
Printed media produced by the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn and the
Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH constantly varies when it comes to size, paper type, and efficiency.
Production is always tailored to suit the needs of guests, taking care that only the necessary amount is
printed. It is planned that more and more will be in digital form, setting new standards in sustainability
for the future. Thanks to various apps (Home Of Lässig APP NEW from 2022/23 season)
that are already in use, providing guests with information, we are on the right track. When producing printed media that
is necessary, care is taken to print in an environmentally friendly and climate neutral way.
Another measure taken to avoid rubbish in the mountains is the BikePark action “Roll-off not Tear-off”.
• Tear-offs (disposable plastic films for bike goggles) are not permitted in the BikePark.
• On rainy days, when bikers purchase a ticket, they are given a replacement film for a Roll-Off system and a 10% discount voucher for Roll-Off goggles in the sports shop at the bottom station.
Our “Clean the trail days" are a good example. On 3 days in the season, Bikepark visitors are invited,
together with the bike rescue team, bikes school guides, and Leogang Bike Club athletes, to clear all
rubbish from the lines and trails and surroundings. Lots of hard-working volunteers come to help comb
the area, collecting what doesn’t belong in nature, and enjoying some pizza together to end the day.
LEO-mobil is an initiative whereby the Leogang township, together with the support of the Leoganger
Bergbahnen and other partners, offer a simple and environmentally friendly car sharing system at very
attractive prices for businesses and their employees, as well as for individuals. The car sharing initiative
is open to anyone from the age of 18 with a valid driving licence. On registration, users receive access
data for the booking platform, and a keycard which gives access to the car. A LEO-mobil can then be
booked simply online using a car sharing reservation app.
In 2023, we have invested in a total of 20 electric charging points including two fast charging station to support guests’ E-mobility.
All information about the various charging options of Salzburg AG including instructions for use can be found
here.
An important sustainability factor in a region is also social support.
The action group “Loigom hoit zomm” (Leogang works together) shows just how strong this support is in the
region. The group organises quick, non-bureaucratic and professional support in all sorts of situations
where help is needed. This ranges from voluntary help to sustainable projects concerning mobility,
including the Carsharing initiative LEO- mobil. Every winter since 2018 the Leoganger Bergbahnen have
run a donation campaign to support the group. This has the aim of encouraging people to donate the
deposit for their ski ticket (keycard) when they have finished skiing. Donation boxes can be found in lots
of accommodation providers and at the ticket offices, making donating very simple. Put your card in,
and you’ve donated € 2,00!
The "Beste Österreichische Sommer-Bergbahn" (“Austria’s Best Summer Mountain Lifts”) strengthen
summer mountain tourism with their quality-tested offers and stand for sustainable regional
development. A special feature is the cooperative character - for over 20 years, they have been working
together to boost year-round tourism and employment.
In the "Think Tank" the innovative companies exchange themselves constantly in those topics.
Sustainable offers have become an important criterion for many guests when choosing their vacation
and are also actively demanded by employees. The Best Austrian Summer Mountain Railways also
consider it as their responsibility as a ropeway industry to create mountain experiences that stay in
harmony with the needs of nature, the environment and the region.
You can find out more about the defined sustainability goals and measures here.
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).
Purpose of the collaboration
As part of the sustainability campaign of the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts, "sustainable mobility" has been defined as one of the main priorities. One of our strengths lies here and we also have a high level of credibility as a mountain lift company. At the same time, however, the journey to the summer holiday destination is a major source of CO2 emissions. Travelling to the summer mountain destination is also possible in a climate-friendly way. In line with the motto "With the Climate Ticket + 100% electric mobility on the mountain railways, you can easily reach (almost) every summit and save money at the same time.
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
Protection of the raised bog at Asitz
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.
Amphibian biotope and fen
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.
