In economic terms, the summer turned out better in many places than initially feared and more people have benefited from the positive health effects of outdoor sports this year. A good point in the midst of numerous negative reports.
#vanlife
However, there is also another side to this point: In some regions, the freedom to park your campervan anywhere, advertised under the hashtag "#vanlife", has led to a veritable onslaught by wild campers* - with sometimes negative effects on nature.
One of these hotspots was the Tyrolean district of Reutte. Although the legal situation in Tyrol is clear: camping outside of campsites is prohibited. The only exception is the alpine emergency bivouac (see: Camping in the mountains - what's allowed?)
"The nature-loving alpinist who occasionally spends the night on a lonely peak is not the big problem. The problem is the sheer mass of people that we are now confronted with in some areas," reports Albert Kerber from the Reutte mountain rescue service.
On the Säuling, over 40 people sometimes set up camp each night. Between Plansee and the Ammerwald border, over a distance of 10 kilometers, the mountain rescue service has counted up to 800 wild campers on summer weekends. Kerber estimates that around 3,000 offenses will be recorded in his district this year. In most cases, a warning is issued, but in the case of serious violations or non-compliance, those affected can expect fines of up to 1,000 euros.
Although many campers would describe themselves as nature-loving, Kerber's comments confirm that this does not apply to everyone: on the Säuling alone, the German army collects around 100 kg of garbage per year. The problem has increased in recent years and has become even worse since the coronavirus crisis.
