Following the 2011 funding round, Mountain Wilderness, a charity based in France, with the aim of protecting habitat, wildlife as well as outdoor enthusiasts in wild, open spaces – through the removal of old instalations (such as ski lifts) and remnants from the second world war has conducted two very successful operations in the Southern Alps this summer,
Despite the rain and a strong 'Mistral' wind, a hundred volunteers worked hard over a weekend in mid-May on Montagne de Lure. They removed around 50 tons of various different types of waste left over by an abandoned ski resort: from remnants of ski lifts to piles of concrete blocks.
Montagne de Lure’s slopes are thus given back to wilderness, to the rare Orsini’s Viper, the wild tulips and Fritillaries.
In total contrast, in July, volunteers fought against the baking sun of the Ubaye Valley and against the military detritus abandoned after World War II, close to the original fortification line.
80 people from 13 to 83 years of age removed 8 tons of metallic waste and vicious barbed wire from an important grazing pasture. These two days of work represent great progress in terms of the safety not only for wildlife, but also hikers and horse riders.
