Heliskiing is prohibited or severely restricted almost everywhere in the Alps - except in Switzerland, where there are 42 landing sites for helicopters where heliskiing tourists land over 20,000 times a year. The European Alps are among the most sensitive landscapes and habitats. At the same time, the Alps are densely populated and have been used by humans for thousands of years, which is a good thing.
Thanks to several thousand lifts in hundreds of ski resorts, one could actually assume that this is enough to satisfy all winter sports enthusiasts, especially as there is a clear overcapacity of transport facilities and most lifts are only fully utilized at weekends and during vacation periods. All Alpine countries have therefore banned or at least severely restricted heliskiing. After all, heli-skiing is fun for the few, but puts a huge strain on a large natural area.
Nature conservationists fight against heli-skiing
Under the slogan "Stop heli-skiing!", nature conservationists such as Mountain Wilderness are campaigning for a general ban on helicopter landings for tourist purposes in the Swiss Alps. Heliskiing is banned in France and Germany and severely restricted in Austria. There are still 42 mountain landing sites in Switzerland, over half of which are located within or directly on the border of protected landscapes.
Conservationists have been fighting against heli-skiing for almost 10 years and are calling for a ban on heli-skiing by 2020 and an immediate ban on landing sites in particularly protected World Heritage and nature conservation areas.
New landing sites planned in untouched areas
In summer 2007, the Federal Council approved the principle that landing sites of little interest for heliskiing could be removed in future and replaced with more attractive ones. For example, Bedretto on the south side of the Gotthard, which is very popular with ski tourers, is to be allowed to be approached in future. If this venture were to succeed, one of Switzerland's most beautiful ski touring areas would be lost. A condition for the relocation of landing sites is economic interest, i.e. the helicopter companies can put forward their demand for a new mountain landing site. They can hope that the FOCA will listen; the Federal Office of Civil Aviation is rather deaf to the concerns of nature and landscape conservation. The Ticino helicopter companies would like to optimize heliskiing in Switzerland with the support of the cantons and the FOCA. Two mountain landing sites are to be redefined in Sopraceneri, northern Ticino.
Fierce dispute between nature conservationists, ski tourers, the FOCA and helicopter companies
The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (Bazl), which is responsible for reviewing landing sites, supports the interests of heli-companies and is maintaining all 42 Swiss mountain landing sites. In the negotiations on the Aviation Infrastructure Plan, in the context of which heli-skiing is to be reviewed, the Bazl refuses to discuss a reduction in the number of landing sites. This is despite the fact that an independent study has shown that the potential for conflict with nature and landscape conservation is very high for more than half of the landing sites. The environmental organizations Pro Natura, VCS and Mountain Wilderness therefore no longer saw any chance of continuing to negotiate with the heli-companies and the Bazl, which supports them, and have withdrawn from the negotiations in protest.
Growing anti-helisking movement: Stop heliskiing demos by Mountain Wilderness, nature conservationists and tourers
It's not just committed conservationists and eco-Taliban who are fighting against growing heliskiing tourism, more and more ski tourers and mountaineers are also joining the resistance against heli freeriders. This is why anti-heliskiing demonstrations are organized every year: These are ski tours to the heliports' mountain landing sites. One of the next demonstrations will take place next to the mountain landing site on the Ebnefluh 3860 m above sea level. Anyone who wants to take part is cordially invited! The meeting point is on Saturday, April 4 at 09.30 h in Lauterbrunnen at the train station on the track to Kleine Scheidegg.
More information atwww.mountainwilderness.ch
