UIAA News Release_Nominees for 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award

UIAA News Release.
15, October 2017

UIAA MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD
2017 WINNER ANNOUNCED ON 21 OCTOBER IN SHIRAZ, IRAN

22 GLOBAL PROJECTS IN CONTENTION

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 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.

A press release dedicated to the announcement of the 2017 winner will be available on Monday 23 October.

Video: 2017 UIAA Mountain Protection Award

22 NOMINEES: 2017 UIAA 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: Project Cordillera
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’

Italy: Fondation Grand Paradis
I.T.E.R – Imaginer Un Transport Efficace et Responsable

Italy: Giroparchi
Discovery journey of the areas of the Gran Paradiso and Mont Avic parks

Italy: Paraloup
La Montagna che Rinasce (The Reborn mountain)

Italy: Rê.V.E. – Grand Paradis
A network of electric vehicles

Italy/Philippines: La Venta Esplorazioni Geografiche
Support for sustainable eco-tourism in Puerto Princesa underground river (Palawan, Philippines)

Latin America: Acceso PanAM
Managing human waste in advance base camps in Patagonia

Lebanon: Mount Zayan
Environmental education and accessible trails for eco-tourists

United Kingdom: Community Action Nepal
Post-earthquake recover programme in Nepalese mountain communities

United States: Clean Climbing on Denali
The removal of all waste

United States: Mount Everest Biogas Project
Environmentally sustainable solution to the impact of human waste on Mount Everest and beyond

United States: Wilderness Rock Climbing Indicators and Climbing Management Implications
Health of the climbing system as a part of wilderness character in National Park Wilderness

Further details: Mountain Protection Award
Contact: mountainprotection

Main Image: Courtesy of Project Cordillera

The UIAA was founded in 1932 and has 91 member associations in 68 countries representing about 3 million climbers and mountaineers. The organization’s mission is to promote the growth and protection of climbing and mountaineering worldwide, advance safe and ethical mountain practices and promote responsible access, culture and environmental protection.

The organization operates through the work of its commissions which make recommendations, set policy and advocate on behalf of the climbing and mountaineering community. The UIAA is recognized by the International Olympic Committee.