Audible Alps - CIPRA Podcast: Interviews, background talks and voices from all Alpine countries: Listen to this and more in the podcast of the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps.

Betreutes Wohnen, Selbstständigkeit, soziale Teilhabe und Sicherheit im Alltag: Welche Wohnformen unterstützen Menschen dabei, auch im Alter möglichst lange selbstbestimmt zu leben? In der dritten Folge der Podcastreihe «Wohnen in Vorarlberg Süd» spricht Adam Zehetner von der Stadt Bludenz über bestehende Angebote, zukünftige Entwicklungen und die Bedeutung frühzeitiger Planung für ein gutes Wohnen im Alter. Die Rolle der Gemeinden und die Qualitäten von Prozessen wie Vorarlberg Süd werden dabei als wichtige Grundlage für den Austausch von Erfahrungen, die Entwicklung neuer Ideen und die Gestaltung zukunftsfähiger Angebote sichtbar. Interview und Redaktion: Janin Salzger, Laura Haberfellner Weiterführende Informationen: https://www.bludenz.at/bildung-soziales/gesundheit?sword_list%5B0%5D=betreutes&sword_list%5B1%5D=wohnen&no_cache=1 https://www.raumlink.at/projekte/projekt_vsued/ www.v-sued.at/ Foto (c) V:Süd / Stadt Bludenz

Seit 25 Jahren verbindet die Via Alpina als internationaler Weitwanderweg Menschen, Kulturen und Landschaften quer durch den Alpenraum. Mit einer Podcast-Reihe erzählt das Projekt «Stimmen entlang der Via Alpina» ihre Geschichte, beleuchtet Herausforderungen und Chancen des Weitwanderns und sensibilisierte für nachhaltigen Tourismus in den Alpen. Den Abschluss der Podcast-Reihe macht dieses Podiumsgespräch mit den folgenden drei Gästen: Stefanie Alis Ritter bewirtschaftet gemeinsam mit Sophia Sandkühler seit 2025 die Pfälzer Hütte in Liechtenstein und erfüllte sich damit einen Lebenstraum. Christian Baumgartner unterrichtet am Institut für Tourismus und Freizeit der Fachhochschule Graubünden und begleitet Projekte zu nachhaltigem Tourismus und Regionalentwicklung. Laura Haberfellner koordiniert das bei CIPRA International in Liechtenstein angesiedelte Sekretariat der Via Alpina ab 2026. Zur Podcast-Reihe: www.cipra.org/de/stimmen-entlang-der-via-alpina Abonniere unseren Podcast: www.cipra.org/de/podcast Das Projekt wird finanziell unterstützt von der Stiftung Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger in Liechtenstein. Moderation und Produktion: Michael Gams Ton: Caroline Begle Foto (c) Anna Mehrmann ---- For 25 years, the Via Alpina has been connecting people, cultures and landscapes across the Alpine region as an international long-distance hiking trail. With a series of podcasts, the project ‘Voices along the Via Alpina’ tells its story, highlights the challenges and opportunities of long-distance hiking and raises awareness of sustainable tourism in the Alps. The podcast series concludes with this panel discussion featuring the following three guests: Stefanie Alis Ritter has been running the Pfälzer Hütte in Liechtenstein together with Sophia Sandkühler since 2025, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Christian Baumgartner teaches at the Institute for Tourism and Leisure at the University of Applied Sciences of Graubünden and supports projects on sustainable tourism and regional development. Laura Haberfellner will coordinate the Via Alpina secretariat based at CIPRA International in Liechtenstein from 2026. To the podcast series: https://www.cipra.org/en/projects/voices-along-the-via-alpina Subscribe to our podcast: www.cipra.org/en/podcast The project is financially supported by the Prince Guido Feger Foundation in Liechtenstein. Moderation and production: Michael Gams Photo (c) Anna Mehrmann

La seconda puntata ci porta sul ghiacciaio dell’Aletsch, il più grande delle Alpi e patrimonio UNESCO. Con le voci di Giovanni Kappenberger (GLAMOS) e Marco Giardino (Comitato Glaciologico Italiano) raccontiamo come il riscaldamento in Svizzera - quasi +3°C rispetto all’epoca preindustriale - stia accelerando la perdita di massa glaciale, anno dopo anno. Dalla scienza passiamo alla memoria, con il racconto di Andreas Weissen, e alla politica, con le riflessioni di Vanda Bonardo e Mario Grosso sulla governance dei ghiacciai e sulla necessità di un’azione climatica urgente. Il viaggio continua fino alla frana di Blatten, dove sei milioni di metri cubi di roccia e ghiaccio hanno travolto un’intera valle, mostrando quanto la montagna sia fragile e quanto conti il monitoraggio. Una puntata che intreccia dati, paesaggi, emozioni e scelte necessarie. “Dove il ghiaccio scompare” è un podcast di CIPRA Italia, con il sostegno di Fondazione Cariplo. Testi e voce di Sofia Farina, sound design e musiche originali di Giorgio Tidei. Ulteriori informazioni: https://www.cipra.org/it/notizie/dove-il-ghiaccio-scompare

In this first episode of our three-part series “Rethinking youth migration in the Alps,” we explore one of the most urgent challenges facing Alpine regions today: the steady departure of young, educated people from mountain communities - and the search for new, future-proof solutions. We’re joined by Viviana Caldara from the Autonomous Province of Trento and Elisa Rapetti from the Franco Demarchi Foundation, partners of the Interreg Alpine Space project OUT4INGOV. Together, they help us understand what mountain communities truly lose when young people leave — not only economic strength, but the creativity, energy, and social cohesion that keep Alpine villages alive. In our conversation, Elisa and Viviana place these local challenges within the wider European context - where youth populations are shrinking, rural areas are aging, and urbanisation is accelerating. Together, we explore why traditional policies no longer work, and how a new mindset is emerging: one built around circularity of skills and positive spillover effects. Instead of forcing young people to stay or return, this approach embraces mobility while keeping knowledge, relationships, and ideas flowing back into the communities of origin. Elisa and Viviana explain how this creates a triple-win: benefiting the young person, the place they move to, as well as the place they come from. We also discuss why involving young people directly in shaping solutions is essential. From youth councils to participatory approaches, the experts highlight how empowerment, diversity, and shared decision-making make Alpine governance more democratic, more innovative, and more sustainable. Young people, they remind us, are not only the future of the Alps — they are key actors of today. Learn more about the OUT4INGOV project here: https://www.cipra.org/en/projects/out4ingov-shaping-youth-migration https://www.alpine-space.eu/project/out4ingov/ Subscribe to our podcast: www.cipra.org/podcast Moderation: Laura Haberfellner & Hanna Öllös, CIPRA International Lab Editing: Janin Salzger, CIPRA International Lab The project “New generation alpine OUT-migration Engagement FOR an INclusive GOVernance” (OUT4INGOV) is funded by the Interreg Alpine Space Programme.

Suhozidna gradnja je veščina zidanja brez uporabe veziva. Kamen za zidavo je pridobljen v neposredni bližini, s čiščenjem in urejanjem zemljišč. S poznavanjem principov skladnje so, tudi v Alpah, že od prazgodovine nastajali različni tipi trdnih kamnitih objektov. Znanje, tehnike in veščine suhozidne gradnje so od leta 2018 vpisane na Unescov reprezentativni seznam nesnovne kulturne dediščine. O tej veščini (in še čem) se je z gospodom Borisom Čokom – avtorjem in registriranim nosilcem dediščine, pogovarjala Katarina Žakelj iz CIPRE Slovenija. Avgusta 2025 je CIPRA Slovenija pod mentorstvom g. Čoka izvedla akcijo Ogenj v Alpah/ Via Alpina Youth. Mladi so obnovili suhozid v Vasi na skali nad Sočo. Izvedbo te aktivnosti je finančno omogočil program EU Erasmus+. Aktivnost je predstavljala košček v mozaiku projekta KamenGor: oživljanje dediščine suhozidov Goriške, ki ga je finančno podprlo Ministrstvo za kulturo RS. Več informacij o njem lahko najdete na strani CIPRE Slovenija. https://www.cipra.org/sl/novice/kamengor-ohranimo-dediscino Foto: Natalia Polonskaia --- Dry-wall construction is the art of building masonry without the use of binding materials. The stone for the masonry is obtained in the immediate vicinity, by clearing and landscaping the land. The knowledge of the principles of composition has been used to create different types of solid stone buildings since prehistoric times, including in the Alps. The knowledge, techniques and skills of dry stone building have been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018. Katarina Žakelj from CIPRA Slovenia talked to Boris Čok - author and registered heritage holder - about this skill (and more). In August 2025, CIPRA Slovenia, under the mentorship of Mr Čok, implemented the Fire in the Alps/ Via Alpina Youth campaign. The young people restored the drystone wall in the Village on the Rock above the Soča River. The activity was a piece in the mosaic of the project KamenGor: revitalising the drystone heritage of Goriška, which was financially supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia. More information about the project can be found on the CIPRA Slovenia website.

V tej epizodi podcasta Glasovi ob poti Via Alpina se Katarina Žakelj iz CIPRE Slovenija pogovarja z Matevžem Pretnerjem, ki vodi ekološko turistično kmetijo v dolini Trenta, znotraj Triglavskega narodnega parka. Pohodniška pot Via Alpina poteka neposredno skozi to strmo in slikovito alpsko dolino. Matevž deli svoje izkušnje z življenjem in turizmom na zavarovanem območju, govori o selitvi družinske kmetije zaradi skalnega podora ter o pomenu trajnostnih praks. Njegova kmetija sprejema pohodnike in družine, ponuja preprosta prenočišča in uporablja rastlinsko čistilno napravo za odpadne vode. Pogovor poudarja pomen počasnega turizma, potrebo po boljši javni mobilnosti ter vlogo daljinskih poti pri ozaveščanju o okolju. Matevž si želi, da bi Via Alpina še naprej povezovala ljudi in regije ter ohranjala alpske doline kot živa in poseljena območja. Do podcast serije: https://www.cipra.org/sl/projekti/glasovi-ob-pohodniski-poti-via-alpina Naročite se na naš podcast: www.cipra.org/sl/podcast Projekt finančno podpira fundacija „Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger“ iz Lihtenštajna. Moderacija: Katarina Žakelj Postprodukcija: Michael Gams --- Voices along the Via Alpina: Matevž Pretner In this episode of Voices Along the Via Alpina Trail, Katarina Žakelj from CIPRA Slovenia talks with Matevž Pretner, who runs an organic agrotourism farm in Trenta Valley, inside Triglav National Park. The Via Alpina trail passes directly through this steep and scenic valley. Matevž shares insights into life and tourism in a protected area, including the relocation of his family’s farm after a rockslide and the importance of sustainable practices. His farm welcomes hikers and families, offering simple accommodations and using eco-friendly wastewater treatment. The conversation highlights the growing relevance of slow tourism, the need for better public transport, and the role of long-distance hiking in raising environmental awareness. Matevž hopes the Via Alpina will continue to connect people and regions while keeping Alpine valleys vibrant and inhabited. Transcript in English language: https://www.cipra.org/media/files/en_transcript_voices-along-the-via-alpina-with-matevs-pretner.pdf/ To the podcast series: www.cipra.org/en/voices-along-the-via-alpina Subscribe to our podcast: www.cipra.org/en/podcast The project is financially supported by the foundation "Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger" in Liechtenstein. Moderation: Katarina Žakelj Post production: Michael Gams

Alleine wandern, und das über Monate hinweg: Diesen Traum erfüllt sich der Schweizer Sascha Dubach. Er wandert entlang der Via Alpina von Triest bis nach Monaco und durchquert dabei alle Alpenländer. Wir haben ihn im Juli 2025 auf halber Strecke in Liechtenstein getroffen und über seine Faszination für das Weitwandern gesprochen. Ein Gespräch übers alleine unterwegs sein, Minimalismus, Rekorde, unerwartete Begegnungen und über sein ehrenamtliches Engagement für die Via Alpina. Wenn Ihr mehr über Saschas Erfahrungen auf der Via Alpina wissen wollt, schaut auf seinem Blog vorbei: https://wander-wegs.ch/ Dort findet ihr seine Tagebucheinträge entlang des Weges, aber auch wertvolle Tipps und Infos zur Planung und Ausrüstung, falls ihr selbst überlegt, einen Teil oder gleich die ganze Via Alpina zu wandern. Hört auch gerne in die anderen Episoden unserer Podcastreihe «Stimmen entlang der Via Alpina» rein: Vom Alpenwanderer und Forscher Dominik Siegrist bis hin zur jungen Filmemacherin Zoé Lemaitre, die Pionierinnen entlang des Weges porträtiert. Zum internationalen Tag der Berge im Dezember 2025 gibt es einen Live-Podcast. Zur Podcast-Reihe:www.cipra.org/de/stimmen-entlang-der-via-alpina Abonniere unseren Podcast: www.cipra.org/de/podcast Das Projekt wird finanziell unterstützt von der Stiftung Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger in Liechtenstein. Moderation und Produktion: Michael Gams Foto (c) Sascha Dubach --- English shownotes--- Voices along the Via Alpina: Sascha Dubach Hiking alone for months on end: Swiss hiker Sascha Dubach is fulfilling this dream. He is hiking along the Via Alpina from Trieste to Monaco, crossing all the Alpine countries along the way. We met him halfway in Liechtenstein in July 2025 and talked to him about his fascination with long-distance hiking. A conversation about travelling alone, minimalism, records, unexpected encounters and his voluntary work for the Via Alpina. You can find an english transcript of this episode here: https://www.cipra.org/media/files/en-transcript-sascha-dubach.pdf/ If you want to know more about Sascha's experiences on the Via Alpina, take a look at his blog: https://wander-wegs.ch/ There you will find his diary entries along the way, as well as valuable tips and information on planning and equipment if you are considering hiking part or all of the Via Alpina yourself. You can also listen to the other episodes in our podcast series "Voices along the Via Alpina": From alpine hiker and explorer Dominik Siegrist to young filmmaker Zoé Lemaitre, who portrays pioneering women along the trail. There will be a live podcast to mark International Mountain Day in December 2025. To the podcast series: www.cipra.org/en/voices-along-the-via-alpina Subscribe to our podcast: www.cipra.org/en/podcast The project is financially supported by the foundation "Fürstlicher Kommerzienrat Guido Feger" in Liechtenstein. Moderation and production: Michael Gams Photo (c) Sascha Dubach