"Land schafft Leben" Association And Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen GmbH Host A Joint Press Conference
The "Land schafft Leben" association and Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen GmbH hosted a joint press conference at the Wieslechalm on the Fastenberg/Planai mountain pasture under the motto "Responsibility – Agriculture, Habitat, and Mountain Railways." The goal was to highlight the responsibility of agriculture and mountain railways for Austria's cultural landscape and demonstrate their close connection to tourism.
Hannes Royer, founder of "Land schafft Leben," renews his call for greater appreciation for domestic agriculture. Just a month ago, his association published its report "Agriculture, Habitat & Tourism" and demonstrated that the beauty and diversity of Austria's landscapes are not a natural product, but the result of centuries of cultivation. "Austria's man-made cultural landscapes are the most important reason why guests spend their holidays here," says Royer. He emphasizes: "Above all, our alpine pastures are a jewel for tourism because they preserve biodiversity, landscapes, and cultural history simultaneously. And the mountain railways serve as a model for cooperation between tourism and agriculture – this must be preserved."
For Director Georg Bliem, Managing Director of Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen, the landscape is also a decisive factor in guests' vacation decisions. As a year-round company, the goal is clear: green meadows in summer, white slopes in winter. "We have the privilege of utilizing the landscape for our offerings and, at the same time, bear responsibility – for nature, guests, and the region. Since we operate on third-party land, we are grateful for the trusting cooperation with the landowners. Sustainability and regionality are guiding principles that shape our decisions," says Director Georg Bliem.
In keeping with this, the brochure "Sustainable into the Future" was presented. It summarizes the most important measures implemented by the Planai-Hochwurzen cable cars, including intelligent snow management, the use of HVO as a fossil-free fuel, photovoltaic systems, energy monitoring, and ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification, which ensures continuous improvement in quality and environmental performance.
The press conference also included a presentation of the installation "Milk," based on an idea by Planai Marketing Manager Markus Zeiringer and implemented in cooperation with Ennstal Milch. 100 milk cartons illustrated that approximately 1.8 m2 of meadow are needed to produce one liter of milk.
