"puremobility2puremountains", Final Conference of ACCESS2MOUNTAIN

1 - 3 April 2014
National Park Gesäuse/Admont, Austria
Programme (PDF)
Impressions from the National Park Gesäuse (photo gallery)


From 1-3 April 2014, the National Park Gesäuse (AT) hosted the International Conference
"puremobility2puremountains“ which marked the end of the three years lasting transnational project "ACCESS2MOUNTAIN". The cooperation of 12 project partners and 20 observing partners from 12 countries in the Alps and Carpathians aimed to improve environmentally friendly accessibility of sensitive mountain areas. Co-financed from the South-East Europe programme, the ACCESS2MOUNTAIN project was built on several cross border and transnational activities in the field of mobility management and awareness raising. 

Conference Train Ride with fruitful discussions
Following the principle “sustainable mobility and tourism in sensitive areas of the Alps and the Carpathians” the conference took place in a highly protected area – the National Park Gesäuse – and was designed as car-free event. Participants could experience sustainable mobility during a common train ride to the conference venue (and back), starting from Franz Josef Station in Vienna. The conference train offered perfect conditions for an interactive "output bazar", where visitors could get in touch with the project partners and inform themselves about the regional pilot projects. The railway crossed a landscape of high natural beauties in the valley of the "Enns" river. The trip stopover presented a Gesäuse National park visitor centre that consist of many attractions like a „willow dome“ and an „ecological footprint labyrinth“.

Top experts presenting their views on sustainable mobility
The scientific programme of the Conference started with a thematic introduction about the actual trends in tourism and transport and necessity of more sustainable development by Paul Peeters (NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences) and Georg Hauger (Technical University of Vienna). The second part focused on best practices in sustainable tourism mobility with the particular example of Switzerland Mobility (Lukas Stadtherr) and an overview of railway specific examples all over Europe (Otfried Knoll). Beside good spirits due to the scenic and friendly atmosphere in the National Park, motivation came also from the warm welcoming words by David Osebik (Nationalpark Gesäuse), Günther Lichtblau (Environment Agency Austria), Roberta Calcina (Southeast Europe JTS) and Veronika Holzer (Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management). 

Project partners talking about their experiences
In a panel discussion, the representatives from the pilot regions were asked about their experiences, challenges and biggest achievements when trying to promote sustainable mobility in their region.

Policies towards sustainable mobility
An insight in the transport protocols to the Alpine Convention and to the Carpathian Convention was provided by Simona Vrevc (Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention) and by Matthias Jurek (UNEP Vienna/Interim Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention). The Transport Protocols establish main provisions, strategies and specific measures in view to reduce the negative effects of transport to and through the Alps and Carpathians through a sustainable transport policy.
The conference was officially closed with a signing ceremony of the ACCESS2MOUNTAIN Common Charter, introduced by Günther Lichtblau (Environment Agency Austria) and Romain Molitor (komobile w7). With their signatures, the project partners and observers gave their commitment to further sustainable tourism mobility development. 

A perfect roundup
The participants experienced in person the hospitality and tourism facilities of the Styrian region in village of Johnsbach where the „Styrian evening“ enabled social interaction with hosts and concluded the cooperation of the project partners. The Conference side event presented the famous Monastery Library of Admont, the UNESCO World heritage site.


Conference Proceedings

• Block 1: Günther LICHTBLAU | ACCESS2MOUNTAIN project and results
• Block 2:
  • Paul PEETERS | Getting to the mountains - quick and dirty or clever and clean
  • Georg HAUGER | The future tourism mobility 2030
• Block 3:
  • Lukas STADTHERR | SwitzerlandMobility - A world-wide USP
  • Otfried KNOLL | The role of regional and narrow gauge railways in tourism
• Block 4: ACCESS2MOUNTAIN TALKSHOW
• Block 5:
  • Matthias JUREK | Developing the Transport Protocol to the Carpathian Convention
  • Simona VREVC |  The Transport Protocol to the Alpine Convention

Read more about the outputs and results of the project: ACCESS2MOUNTAIN Final Brochure

Click here for the photo gallery by the Nationalpark Gesäuse © Andreas Hollinger and check out the conference impressions below (© GDL Photo).



Conference Day 1:  Registration at Franz Josef Station in Vienna


Output Bazar on the Conference Train


Stopover in Johnsbach in the heart of the National Park Gesäuse


Enns River Bridge


The Willow Dome


Conference Day 2 in Admont: Discussions on the keynote speeches


Conference Day 2 in Admont: Discussions on the keynote speeches


The ACCESS2MOUNTAIN Talkshow


The Signing ceremony of the Common Charter


Last but not least: Group photo on the roof terrace of Spirodom hotel