SUSTAINABility

The Ausseerland Salzkammergut is blessed with mountains, lakes and an enormous diversity of nature beyond. Attentiveness and care in dealing with this presupposes the continued existence of our region.

Economic sustainability has become a buzzword in tourism in recent years, because sustainability does not only mean protecting nature. Consideration for the cultural and social aspects of the vacation destination also play a major role here, because this makes it possible to experience a region intensively and authentically. This creates harmony between travelers and locals, people and nature & location and tourism.

Regionality at first hand

THE AUSSEERLAND gourmetMAP

Sustainable local shopping: The local food producers offer a wide variety of products. In Ausseerland you will find everything for the perfect breakfast, a fortifying mountain snack or a real Ausseerland dinner. From farm-to-table farms and gourmet stores, bakeries and fisheries to the local farmers' markets, no wish is left unfulfilled.

To the gourmet map

pure nature

DISCOVER THE AUSSEERLAND SUSTAINABLY

In the Ausseerland region you will find a variety of events for young and old throughout the year. Some businesses and organizers have dedicated themselves to the topic of sustainability. Here you will find a small overview:

TOURISM FOR SDGS

Travel with responsibility: The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has formulated recommendations for travelers, public institutions, companies, educational institutions, donor organizations and international organizations in connection with the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.

Suggested actions for travelers include careful food handling, sharing interesting initiatives and social projects at the destination, cultural understanding through simple language skills in the country of stay, regional consumption, digital copies of travel documents and more.

Suggested actions

AGENDA 2030

The 2030 Agenda, with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a global plan to promote sustainable peace and prosperity and protect our planet. Since 2016, all countries have been working to translate this shared vision for fighting poverty and reducing inequalities into national development plans. In doing so, it is particularly important to address the needs and priorities of the most vulnerable populations and countries - because only if no one is left behind can the 17 goals be achieved by 2030. (Source: UNRIC 2022)

The goals and examples from the region

Global Destination Sustainability Movement

The GDS movement unites and empowers destination management professionals to create thriving and resilient places to visit, meet and live. The goal is to work together to develop sustainable and circular strategies, mindsets, and skills that will enable destinations of the future to thrive and allow society and nature to regenerate.

„NATURA 2000 PROTECTED AREAS IN AUSSEERLAND SALZKAMMERGUT“

Totes Gebirge and Altausseer See

The Tote Gebirge and its surroundings are the part of Styria with the highest precipitation. In the larger karst hollows, cold segregation occurs as a result of temperature inversion. In some places, for the same reason, the formation of so-called ice caves and karst holes occurs, where ice remains throughout the year.

Due to a fault zone, which runs west of the Lawinenstein to the Salzsteigjoch, this mountain range can be divided into a western and eastern part. After the last ice age, glacial erosion occurred as a result of ice flowing westward, which previously extended from the plateau of the Totes Gebirge to the Mitterndorf depression. This is how the larger lakes were formed. Moraine hills with piled up limestone blocks and loose rock debris are found on the entire area, which, due to good weathering and water permeability, support a well-developed vegetation cover.

Ödensee and the high moor

Originally, the area was characterized by extensive moors, which were exploited from the 18th century until the 20th century. Of the former raised moor of about 28 hectares, various smaller moor complexes are still preserved today. From the former peat cutting areas to the raised moors covered with mountain pines, the area is characterized by a variety of wetland habitats with special plant communities.

Other characteristic elements are the riparian woodland strips with adjacent species-rich litter and marsh meadows in the area of the Riedelbach and the Ödenseetraun. Particularly noteworthy protected assets in this Natura 2000 site are the scabiosa fritillary butterfly, whistling grass meadows, near-natural living raised bogs and the bog forests.

Natura 2000

e5- and Climate Alliance Community Bad Mitterndorf

Bad Mitterndorf is looking to the future in an energy-efficient and climate-friendly way and has therefore joined the Climate Alliance and the "e5 communities". This program is to be understood as a process that optimizes municipal energy policy step by step.

more info

SUSTAINABLE ACCOMMODATION IN AUSSEERLAND

Campingurlaub

G'sund & Natur Hotel Die Wasnerin

Schmiedgut Bad Aussee

Ecologie Grundlsee

Naturfreundehaus Tauplitzalm

Hotel Grimmingblick

Almen & Hütten

Urlauben am Bauernhof

fairtrade-Region Ausseerland

With the FAIRTRADE communities of Bad Aussee, Altaussee, Bad Mitterndorf and Grundlsee, the Ausseerland is one of the first Fairtrade regions in the whole of Austria.

Before becoming a FAIRTRADE municipality, FAIRTRADE town or FAIRTRADE district, five criteria must be met. This applies to all Ausseerland municipalities.

The municipality is committed to Fairtrade
Involvement in the Fairtrade Group
Making Fairtrade products available
Commitment in the municipality for Fairtrade products
Awareness raising and information

More about the initiative

AGAINST FOOD WASTE

Every year, tons of edible food ends up in the trash! The reasons are many and varied, often due to myths that persist. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management has taken a closer look at the most common myths:

Myth 1: Most food is thrown away in retail - This is not true, because even if avoidable food waste is generated in wholesale and retail trade or in markets, private households account for the largest share.

Myth 2: If the best-before date (MHD) is exceeded, food is spoiled - The MHD is a recommendation of the manufacturers and not to be compared with an "expiration date", as it is often made colloquially. Many foods are edible even after the expiration date - use your sense of sight, smell and taste to judge.

Myth 3: Nothing is being done about food waste - In Austria, but also in the EU, there are numerous measures to reduce food waste. These include, for example, the "Food is Precious" initiative, in which over 70 partners are participating. Foodsharing offers are also becoming increasingly popular.

Even despite good intentions, food waste is sometimes unavoidable. Start with mindful and responsible behavior.

The platform for a sustainable event culture

Green Events Steiermark

Sporting and cultural events are increasingly becoming "events" for active participants and spectators. The multitude of activities of clubs, associations and companies at local and regional level contributes significantly to the quality of life in our province.

With the platform Green Events Styria, the province of Styria invites ALL people to participate in a sustainable event culture - so that Styria remains "the green heart of Austria".

more info

A success story

THE AUSTRIAN ECO-LABEL

The Austrian Eco-Label was established in 1990 on the initiative of the Ministry of the Environment. Today, it is considered the most important state-certified environmental seal in Austria and is awarded in four categories: Products or Services, Tourism and Catering Establishments, Educational and Cultural Institutions, Green Meetings & Events. The award is given only to those products and services that, in addition to a wide range of environmental criteria, also meet high standards of quality and durability. The Austrian Eco-label is thus an orientation aid for environmentally conscious consumers in their daily purchasing decisions.

to the eco-label

THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

We all leave traces behind:

Everyone consumes raw materials and energy, produces waste and exhaust gases. How much depends largely on consumer behavior and therefore varies greatly around the world. In order to establish comparability, the "ecological footprint" was developed. This calculation method can be used to show the area needed to provide all the raw materials and energy consumed for the respective standard of living. The concept was developed by scientists William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel in Canada in the 1990s. The unit of measurement for the ecological footprint is the global hectare, or "gbh." One hectare is equal to 10,000 square meters, which is roughly the area of a larger soccer field.