Mountain Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Mountain Wilderness is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the preservation of mountain areas, in their natural and cultural aspects. The organization was founded in Europe and has a stronger presence in alpine
and pyrenean
regions. It has, however, a worldwide reach, with representatives and actions on all continents.
and environmentalist organizations, but is clearly distinct from both. Mountain Wilderness was founded by mountaineers
and places a stronger emphasis on the human experience of wilderness than on the exclusive defense of wildlife
for its own sake.
Even in the most remote mountain regions, there remain vanishingly few untouched wilderness
zones in a strict sense. Contrary to what a literal interpretation would suggest, Mountain Wilderness does not focus on such "pure", pristine wilderness. Nearly all mountain landscapes, and, to an even higher degree, the perception of mountains by humans, bear a strong cultural imprint. Mountain Wilderness works towards the inclusive preservation of this natural and cultural mountain environment at large, in three complementary ways :
, Italy during an international conference convened by Ludovico Sella, scion of a prominent piedmont
ese family of financiers, statesmen and mountaineers, among which Quintino Sella
, the 19th century founder of the Italian Alpine Club.
This conference was a follow-up to a similar gathering of mountaineers convened by the Italian Academic Alpine Club on 8 August 1986, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the first ascent of the Mont-Blanc. On this occasion, a “manifesto for Mont Blanc” was issued and signed by a number of renowned mountaineers, among which Sir Chris Bonington
, Yvon Chouinard
, Reinhold Messner
, Doug Scott
. This manifesto called for a foundational human right to “open spaces for free adventure”.
The Biella conference attracted a larger attendance of mountaineers and intellectuals from all over the world, several of whom were to become founding guarantors and founding members of Mountain Wilderness. Among them were Haroun Tazieff
, Kurt Diemberger
, Jim Bridwell
, John Hunt
, Wanda Rutkiewicz
. The "Biella theses", on which the above mission statement is based, were written during this meeting.
Although Mountain Wilderness had yet to be formally established as an organization when this took place, it was later perceived as an inaugural event. The daring, spectacular character of this action inspired comparisons to similar actions by Greenpeace
, but later demonstrations by Mountain Wilderness have generally been more modest. All have been peaceful and none of them against the law.
The guarantors elected at the last General Assembly that took place in Biella, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the foundation of Mountain Wilderness (2008-04-12) are :
Bernard Amy (FR), Núria Balagué (CT), Bernard Batschelet (CH), Edwin Bernbaum (US), Andrea Bianchi (CH), Sir Chris Bonington
(UK), Fausto De Stefani (IT), Kurt Diemberger (AT), Patrick Gabarrou (FR) (currently international coordinator), Maurizio Giordani (IT), Richard Goedeke (DE), Alessandro Gogna (IT), Paulo Grobel (FR), Victor Groselj (SL), François Labande (FR), Franco Michieli (IT), Nicole Niquille (CH), Olivier Paulin (FR), Carlo Alberto Pinelli (IT) (former international coordinator), Jordi Quera (CT), Ludovico Sella (IT), Josep Sicart (CT), Patrick Wagnon (FR).
Among noted former guarantors are :
Sir Edmund Hillary (NZ) (who was long-time honorary president of Mountain Wilderness, now succeeded by Sir Chris Bonington), John Hunt
(UK), Reinhold Messner
(IT), Jean-Christophe Lafaille
(FR), Haroun Tazieff
(FR), Wanda Rutkiewicz
(PL), Jim Bridwell
(US).
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and pyrenean
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
regions. It has, however, a worldwide reach, with representatives and actions on all continents.
Objectives
Mountain Wilderness shares some of the values and objectives of alpine clubsAlpine Club
The first Alpine Club, founded in London in 1857, was once described as:Today, Alpine clubs stage climbing competitions, operate alpine huts and paths, and are active in protecting the Alpine environment...
and environmentalist organizations, but is clearly distinct from both. Mountain Wilderness was founded by mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and places a stronger emphasis on the human experience of wilderness than on the exclusive defense of wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
for its own sake.
Even in the most remote mountain regions, there remain vanishingly few untouched wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
zones in a strict sense. Contrary to what a literal interpretation would suggest, Mountain Wilderness does not focus on such "pure", pristine wilderness. Nearly all mountain landscapes, and, to an even higher degree, the perception of mountains by humans, bear a strong cultural imprint. Mountain Wilderness works towards the inclusive preservation of this natural and cultural mountain environment at large, in three complementary ways :
- by furthering activities and practices that foster self-reliance, respect for nature and the shared enjoyment of mountains by all those who love them
- by opposing aggressive activities, such as recreational off-roadingOff-roadingOff-roading is a term for driving a vehicle on unsurfaced roads or tracks, made of materials such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks, and other natural terrain.-Off-road vehicle:...
, snowmobiling, heli-skiing, and more generally the commercializationCommercializationCommercialization is the process or cycle of introducing a new product or production method into the market. The actual launch of a new product is the final stage of new product development, and the one where the most money will have to be spent for advertising, sales promotion, and other marketing...
, overdevelopmentOverdevelopmentOverdevelopment refers to a way of seeing global inequality that focuses on the negative consequences of excessive consumption. It exists as the mutually constitutive counterpart to the more commonly known concept of 'underdevelopment'....
and exclusive appropriation of mountains by those who just want to exploit them. - by fostering a naturally and culturally respectful development of mountain regions, to ensure a sustainableSustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
future for those who choose to live there
History
Mountain Wilderness was founded in 1987 in BiellaBiella
Biella is a town and comune in the northern Italian region of Piemonte, the capital of the province of the same name, with some 45,800 inhabitants as of 2009. It is located about 80 km northeast of Turin and about 80 km west-northwest of Milan.It lies in the foothills of the Alps,...
, Italy during an international conference convened by Ludovico Sella, scion of a prominent piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese family of financiers, statesmen and mountaineers, among which Quintino Sella
Quintino Sella
Quintino Sella was an Italian statesman and financier.-Biography:Sella was born at Sella di Mosso, in the Province of Biella....
, the 19th century founder of the Italian Alpine Club.
This conference was a follow-up to a similar gathering of mountaineers convened by the Italian Academic Alpine Club on 8 August 1986, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the first ascent of the Mont-Blanc. On this occasion, a “manifesto for Mont Blanc” was issued and signed by a number of renowned mountaineers, among which Sir Chris Bonington
Chris Bonington
Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CVO, CBE, DL is a British mountaineer.His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna.-Early life and expeditions:Educated at University College School in...
, Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
, Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol "whose astonishing feats on Everest and on peaks throughout the world have earned him the status of the greatest climber in history." He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without...
, Doug Scott
Doug Scott
Douglas Keith Scott CBE, known as Doug Scott , is an English mountaineer noted for the first ascent of the south-west face of Mount Everest on 24 September 1975. Scott and Dougal Haston were the first Britons to climb Everest during this expedition...
. This manifesto called for a foundational human right to “open spaces for free adventure”.
The Biella conference attracted a larger attendance of mountaineers and intellectuals from all over the world, several of whom were to become founding guarantors and founding members of Mountain Wilderness. Among them were Haroun Tazieff
Haroun Tazieff
Haroun Tazieff was a French volcanologist and geologist. He was a famous cinematographer of volcanic eruptions and lava flows, and the author of several books about volcanoes....
, Kurt Diemberger
Kurt Diemberger
Kurt Diemberger is an accomplished Austrian mountaineer and author of several books.-Career:As of 2008, Kurt Diemberger is the only remaining person alive that made the first ascents on two mountains over 8,000 metres. In 1957, he made the first ascent of Broad Peak and in 1960, the first ascent...
, Jim Bridwell
Jim Bridwell
Jim Bridwell is a noted American rock climber and mountaineer, active since 1965 especially in Yosemite Valley, but also in Patagonia and Alaska. He is noted for pushing the standards of both free-climbing and big-wall climbing, and later alpine climbing...
, John Hunt
John Hunt, Baron Hunt
Brigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
, Wanda Rutkiewicz
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Wanda Rutkiewicz was a Polish mountain climber. She was the first woman to successfully summit K2.-Early life:Rutkiewicz was born in Plungė, Lithuania...
. The "Biella theses", on which the above mission statement is based, were written during this meeting.
Actions
Some of the actions led by Mountain Wilderness at the international level have been:- Demonstration at Pointe Helbronner on 16 August 1986, against the Vallee Blanche Aerial TramwayVallee Blanche Aerial TramwayThe Vallée Blanche Aerial Tramway or Funivia dei Ghiacciai or Télécabine Panoramic Mont-Blanc, is a passenger aerial tramway between Courmayeur and Chamonix by passing over the Mont Blanc Massif, in the Alps. The project was by Vittorio Zignoli of Polytechnic University of Turin...
, a gondola liftGondola liftA gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
that crosses the “Vallée Blanche” from Aiguille du MidiAiguille du MidiThe Aiguille du Midi is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps.The cable car to the summit, the Téléphérique de l'Aiguille du Midi, was built in 1955 and held the title of the world's highest cable car for about two decades. It still holds the record as the highest vertical ascent...
to the col du Géant above CourmayeurCourmayeurCourmayeur is an Italian town and comune in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley, in northern Italy. It is located at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe, in the Graian Alps range, and is crossed by the Dora Baltea...
, desecrating the very heart of the Mont BlancMont BlancMont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
massif, a wilderness area of foremost symbolic and cultural significance for Europe. During this demonstration, Reinhold MessnerReinhold MessnerReinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol "whose astonishing feats on Everest and on peaks throughout the world have earned him the status of the greatest climber in history." He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without...
climbed atop one of the gondola towers to hang a protest banner.
Although Mountain Wilderness had yet to be formally established as an organization when this took place, it was later perceived as an inaugural event. The daring, spectacular character of this action inspired comparisons to similar actions by Greenpeace
Greenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
, but later demonstrations by Mountain Wilderness have generally been more modest. All have been peaceful and none of them against the law.
- “Free K2” expedition organised in 1990 on K2K2K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
, the second highest mountain in the word, to remove fixed ropes and discarded gear left behind by all expeditions that had attempted the ascent. - Campaign to protect Mount OlympusMount OlympusMount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
in Greece from a huge development project. A manifesto was issued at the end of 1993 and an international petition was signed by intellectuals and writers from all over the world, among which five Nobel laureates. The project was withdrawn in 1995, after this petition was delivered to the Greek government. - Oxus, mountains for peace, an expedition organised to climb Mount NoshaqNoshaqNoshaq is the highest mountain in Afghanistan and the second highest independent peak of the Hindu Kush after Tirich Mir . Noshaq is located in the northeastern corner of the country along the Durand line which marks the border with Pakistan. It is the westernmost peak in the world...
, the highest peak in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, in the Wakhan CorridorWakhan CorridorWakhan Corridor is commonly used as a synonym for Wakhan, an area of far north-eastern Afghanistan which forms a land link or "corridor" between Afghanistan and China. The Corridor is a long and slender panhandle or salient, roughly long and between wide. It separates Tajikistan in the north...
and the Hindu KushHindu KushThe Hindu Kush is an mountain range that stretches between central Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. The highest point in the Hindu Kush is Tirich Mir in the Chitral region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.It is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram Range, and is a...
range, in 2003: this event was intended to promote sustainable outdoor tourism in this country and to serve as a symbol of a possible return to peace and normalcy, after the civil war and the fall of the Taliban regime, during which all manner of tourism had completely disappeared.
Guarantors
Guarantors of Mountain Wilderness are a group of intellectuals, writers, mountaineers, world-travelers, who are recognized through their achievements and their long-time commitment to the shared values of Mountain Wilderness. They play the roles of international representatives and advisors for the association.The guarantors elected at the last General Assembly that took place in Biella, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the foundation of Mountain Wilderness (2008-04-12) are :
Bernard Amy (FR), Núria Balagué (CT), Bernard Batschelet (CH), Edwin Bernbaum (US), Andrea Bianchi (CH), Sir Chris Bonington
Chris Bonington
Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CVO, CBE, DL is a British mountaineer.His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest and the first ascent of the south face of Annapurna.-Early life and expeditions:Educated at University College School in...
(UK), Fausto De Stefani (IT), Kurt Diemberger (AT), Patrick Gabarrou (FR) (currently international coordinator), Maurizio Giordani (IT), Richard Goedeke (DE), Alessandro Gogna (IT), Paulo Grobel (FR), Victor Groselj (SL), François Labande (FR), Franco Michieli (IT), Nicole Niquille (CH), Olivier Paulin (FR), Carlo Alberto Pinelli (IT) (former international coordinator), Jordi Quera (CT), Ludovico Sella (IT), Josep Sicart (CT), Patrick Wagnon (FR).
Among noted former guarantors are :
Sir Edmund Hillary (NZ) (who was long-time honorary president of Mountain Wilderness, now succeeded by Sir Chris Bonington), John Hunt
John Hunt, Baron Hunt
Brigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
(UK), Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer and explorer from Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol "whose astonishing feats on Everest and on peaks throughout the world have earned him the status of the greatest climber in history." He is renowned for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without...
(IT), Jean-Christophe Lafaille
Jean-Christophe Lafaille
Jean-Christophe Lafaille was a French mountaineer noted for a number of difficult ascents in the Alps and Himalaya, and for what has been described as "perhaps the finest self-rescue ever performed in the Himalaya", when he was forced to descend the mile-high south face of Annapurna alone with a...
(FR), Haroun Tazieff
Haroun Tazieff
Haroun Tazieff was a French volcanologist and geologist. He was a famous cinematographer of volcanic eruptions and lava flows, and the author of several books about volcanoes....
(FR), Wanda Rutkiewicz
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Wanda Rutkiewicz was a Polish mountain climber. She was the first woman to successfully summit K2.-Early life:Rutkiewicz was born in Plungė, Lithuania...
(PL), Jim Bridwell
Jim Bridwell
Jim Bridwell is a noted American rock climber and mountaineer, active since 1965 especially in Yosemite Valley, but also in Patagonia and Alaska. He is noted for pushing the standards of both free-climbing and big-wall climbing, and later alpine climbing...
(US).
National chapters of Mountain Wilderness
External links
- www.mountainwilderness.org, official web site of Mountain Wilderness