Articles
Nature abhors a border
Nature in the Alps should be networked more effectively; to this end, the hindrances that stand in the way of animal migration and the spread of vegetation and plants should be made more permeable. Four alpine-wide network organisations are aiming to create an "ecological continuum" in the Alps. The preliminary project has just been given the go-ahead.
Dust cover speeds up snowmelt
A new study reveals that dust blown hundreds of kilometres by the wind from erosion zones or dry regions is capable of speeding up the snowmelt in the mountains of Colorado/USA by around one month. Researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder were surprised not by the fact that the dust-covered snow cover was found to melt more quickly but by the extent to which this occurred in measurements and simulations.
An outgoing airport for the Allgäu
In the view of the project's initiators the opening of the Memmingerberg regional airport in the Allgäu/D on 28 June represents the "opportunity of the century". Bavaria subsidised the project to the tune of €7.3 m, with total investments amounting to €20 m.
International Conference: The Alps beyond Kyoto
CIPRA, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps, is organising an international conference on energy efficiency and renewable energies in the Alpine region from 20 to 22 September.
The Alps' longest railway tunnel
Last weekend saw the official inauguration ceremony of the Lötschberg base tunnel in Switzerland after a construction period of eight years. At 34.6 km it is the third longest railway tunnel in the world. The new link between the Bernese Oberland and the Valais drastically reduces the journey time.
Workshop series "Getting Knowledge Across - Networking People": Documentation online
CIPRA, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps, has made available for download the documentation on four workshops of its Future in the Alps Project.
Cervino international mountain film festival
The 10th edition of the Breuil-Cervinia/Valtournenche international mountain film festival is to be held in Italy's Aosta Valley from 25 to 29 July. The film festival, which is now being held again under its original name Cervino Cinemountain, is Europe's highest, given that it takes place at 2000 m above sea level. The 40 films featured at the festival cover the entire spectrum of topics from the environment to sports, culture and history.
Pyrenean ski resort to be revived
The Municipality of Vielha in the Spanish Pyrenees has given the go-ahead for the construction of more than 500 apartments and 1,700 parking spaces in the ski resort of La Tuca. The resort was forced to shut down in 1989 as the lack of snow meant it was no longer viable. But now the ski resort is to be brought back to life with the new project.
New publication on freight traffic transiting through the Alpine region
(6.6.2007) A new book entitled "SWOMM - Scientific Workshop on Mountain Mobility and Transport" published as part of the Interreg IIIB project AlpFRail summarises the results of the international workshops SWOMM 2005 and SWOMM 2006.
The Alps ideal for generating solar power
According to a study by the EU research laboratory for the environment in Ispra/I the profitability ratings for solar power installations in Alpine regions are similar to those of solar installations in southernmost Spain. Solar irradiance in the hills and mountains of Austria for example reaches an intensity of up to 2,000 kilowatt-hours per square metre.