Galtur, a municipality in the Austrian state of Tyrol, has been planning to build a trail park for some time now. But the project has been criticized from various sides from the very beginning. Now there is a new attempt to realize the trail park.
The idea behind a trail park is to provide mountain bikers with an opportunity to improve their skills on technically demanding trails and to test their limits. But in Galtur, there were reservations about the project even when the first concept was submitted in 2016. Conservationists in particular criticized that the trail park would encroach too much on the ground.
A complaint from the provincial environmental ombudsman’s office finally ensured that the project was stopped for the time being. But the municipality of Galtur is not giving up and is now planning a renewed attempt to realize the trail park.
New start for trail park Galtur
In Galtur, there has been a desire for a trail park for mountain bikers for several years now. There were already plans to build such a park in 2014, but they were not implemented due to objections from the provincial environmental ombudsman’s office.
Now there is a new attempt for the trail park. The municipality has presented a new concept that addresses the concerns of the environmental ombudsman’s office. For example, there will be no encroachment on protected areas and the route will be adapted to minimize the impact on fauna and flora.
The trail park should not only be an attraction for mountain bikers, but also interesting for hikers. For example, hiking trails are also to be integrated into the trail park in order to create a varied offering for all users.
- Galtur is planning a new trail park for mountain bikers and hikers.
- The new concept addresses the concerns of the provincial environmental ombudsman’s office.
- The trail park should be attractive for mountain bikers as well as for hikers.
New challenges for the Trailpark Galtur
The Galtur trail park, which has been a popular destination for mountain biking enthusiasts for years, is soon to be expanded to include more trails. But before it is so far, there are some obstacles to overcome. The Landesumweltanwaltschaft has filed a complaint against the project.
The complaint relates to environmental protection. According to the regional environmental ombudsman’s office, the expansion of the trail park could lead to serious damage to nature. In particular, the protection of plant and animal species, as well as sensitive ecosystems would have to be preserved.
The operators of the trail park, on the other hand, emphasize that a comprehensive environmental impact assessment had already been carried out beforehand. In this context, numerous measures had already been taken to minimize negative effects on nature. In addition, they assure that they will continue to work closely with environmental experts in the future to keep the environmental impact as low as possible.
Despite the complaint, the trail park operators remain optimistic and hope that the project can still be realized in the foreseeable future. At the moment, further discussions are pending with the State Environmental Attorney’s Office in order to find a solution that is satisfactory for all parties involved.