Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project project phase 1, 2007 - 2009 Content Mammut is making a difference - all over the world. Kyrgyzstan’s mountain environment is under threat. Safe passage through the Kyrgyzstan mountains Crunch point: joint marketing efforts. A safe and clean mountain environment. The faces behind the scenes.
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Mammut is making a difference - all over the world.
What possible connection could there be between the outdoor brand Mammut and the developing country of Kyrgyzstan? At first glance, none. Nevertheless, for the last three years we have been working to promote sustainable mountain sport in this rugged area of Central Asia. The inspiration behind the project was simple: our economic activities have global consequences, on both society and the environment. Climate change is the most noticeable sign: our glaciers are melting, biodiversity is changing, rain forests are disappearing at a rapid rate. As a Swiss mountain sports brand, an intact environment and mountain landscape are major concerns for us, not only from a business point of view, but also for our quality of life. Many of our employees love to spend every spare minute out in the nature and
are passionate about mountaineering.
will report on the progress of the project.
This understanding gave rise to a vision of sustainable corporate management: as an outdoor brand, our aim is to offer the best alpine products and to conduct our business in a sustainable manner. This means fully assuming our social responsibility and leaving behind the best possible environmental footprint, so that future generations can be mountaineers as well.
We intend to continue our commitment in Kyrgyzstan. In 2010, our focus will switch to training Kyrgyz mountain guides according to the standards of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA).
We view the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project as a social commitment, the aim of which is primarily to benefit society, while it has only limited relation to our core business. It is our first and only experience of this kind so far. Although it was not without its difficulties, the first project phase, launched in 2007 and completed at the start of 2010, has brought us some valuable experience. Over the next few pages, we
Kyrgyzstan’s mountain environment is under threat. Kyrgyzstan boasts a magnificent natural and mountain landscape. A setting that attracts mainly mountain sports tourists - people who feel at home at high altitudes and on harsh terrain. This stimulates the local tourist economy, but at the same time it is placing a growing strain on the environment. Kyrgyzstan is located in inner Eurasia. Bordered by Kazakhstan, China, Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan, the country was once crossed by the trade routes of the Silk Road. From the middle of the 19th century until 1991, Kyrgyzstan was under Russian or Soviet rule. Evidence of the socialist planned economy is visible; the country is still fighting to achieve economic stability. Despite its economic problems and inadequate infrastructure, Kyrgyzstan is becoming an increasingly popular travel destination, in particular for mountaineers. The country’s main attraction is its geographic location: with an average height of 2,750 metres above sea level (85% of the country is 1,000 metres above sea level, 40% is over 3,000 metres). Various mountain ranges run through the country, including the Tien-Shan Range and the Pamir Mountains. Thanks to its geography, Kyrgyzstan has abundant water reserves despite its dry, continental climate. The first nature reserves were created under the Soviet Union, starting with Lake Issyk-Kul in 1948. Since Kyrgyzstan be-
came independent in 1991, the government has increasingly been working to raise awareness of environmental issues. Despite these efforts, many protected areas are now under threat. On the one hand, there are insufficient funds to maintain them and, on the other, the environment is being increasingly polluted by agricultural chemicals, deforestation and the overgrazing of mountain pastures. The project takes shape This was the background to the idea of a project to promote the development of sustainable mountain sports and tourism. This may sound surprising. After all, Mammut Sports Group AG is a mountain sports brand which specialises in outdoor equipment, not development aid. However, there was a desire to achieve something worthwhile – all we needed to do was find the right partners for project phase 1. The DEG (Deutsche Entwicklungs- und Investitionsgesellschaft – German investment and development company) supported the project as part of a “public-private partnership” co-funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The WiN=WiN Agency for Global Responsibility provided
its development aid experience and was entrusted with the implementation. Project phase 1 consisted of the following four activities: • training of local mountain guides according to the international standard • submission of the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Guide Association’s application for membership of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) • rehabilitation of the mountain infrastructure • as well as marketing efforts to raise awareness of the mountain destination of Kyrgyzstan. The Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project was launched in 2007. Five Kyrgyz travel agents signed up to the project as local partners: Aksai Travel, Edelweiss Travel Company, Horizon Travel, ITC Asia Mountains, ITMC Tien Shan and Top Asia Tourist Company. For the mountain guide training, we also worked in close cooperation with the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Guide Association (KMGA).
Safe passage through the Kyrgyzstan mountains Properly trained mountain guides are essential for safe and sustainable mountain tourism. However, there can be no institutionalised training without state recognition of the profession of mountain guide. These were therefore two key aims of the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project. Mountain sport appears to have been more sustainable in the Soviet era. A system was introduced to assess the proficiency of each mountain guide. Insufficiently experienced guides were not allowed on the mountain due to the high risk of accidents. Cleanliness was another priority: all rubbish had to be taken off the mountain. Today, things are very different. Mountain sports are not very popular among the local population. They are viewed as too dangerous by most, not to mention the expensive equipment and high cost of transportation to the mountain. In contrast to Europe, the profession of mountain guide is neither institutionalised nor recognised by the state. Although the recent development of mountain tourism has brought growth to this economic sector, there is still a lack of proper training and salaries are very low. The Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project therefore focused on two specific goals: • Training of around 20 local mountain guides as candidates according to the specifications of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA). • State recognition of the profession of mountain guide. The Kyrgyz Mountain Guides Association (KMGA) was a reliable and motivated partner in the project. Adolf Schlunegger (CH) and Therry Ralphs (GB), two expert mountain guides, carried out the training. Between 16 and 22 people took part in the initial test and subsequent preparatory course. In addition to summer and winter field exercises, the Kyrgyz trainees also received theoretic and intercultural training as well as English lessons. The profession of mountain guide has now been given state recognition. The KMGA has also applied for membership
of the IFMGA, supported by IFMGA members from Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The final decision has not yet been announced (expected in the summer of 2010). Project phase 2, including the second training stage, was launched in the autumn of 2009. 10 of the 20 or so people who took part in the preparatory course passed the first part of the entrance test for the mountain guide aspirants‘ training according to the IFMGA standard. The second part of the test is due to take place in the winter of 2010. Successful candidates will then be able to train as mountain guides according to the IFMGA’s requirements.
Crunch point: joint marketing efforts. Tourism is an important pillar of the Kyrgyz economy. To raise awareness of Kyrgyzstan as a travel destination, active communication and joint marketing efforts by local travel agents are essential. Easier said than done: this issue posed the greatest difficulties throughout the entire project. The marketing campaign revolved around a project website providing detailed information about the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project and this Central Asian mountain sports destination. The website was produced in English and Russian and was linked directly to Mammut‘s corporate website. An online marketing workshop was organised to train local project partners and allow them to add their own content. Another promotional effort was the joint presence of the local travel agent partners at the annual International Tourism Exhibition (ITB). The idea behind the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project was to enable travel agent partners to clearly differentiate themselves and create a distinctive profile in the market. A wide range of additional communication channels were used to raise awareness of the project, including the Swiss mountain guide association’s magazine, tourism and mountain sports media, as well as Mammut’s own publications such as product flyers, dealer manuals and employee newsletters. Kyrgyzstan was added to the travel curriculum of the Mammut Alpine School. In addition, each year, two employees were given the opportunity to work on site during a threeweek volunteer placement. The aim of these actions was not only to encourage voluntary work on the project - for example in rehabilitating the infrastructure - but also to raise awareness among Mammut employees. Kyrgyzstan was also selected as the destination for the 2009 Team Trip. Four Mammut Pro athletes travelled to the Karavshin Valley where they successfully completed a first ascent on the Asan. As well as this outstanding sports achievement, the cultural aspect played an important part in the trip, for example the journey from Moscow to Bishkek was
made by train. The Team Trip film travelled all over Europe with the European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T) and the Mammut Test & Feel Tour. Review and experience The core aspect, the project website, proved a major challenge. A joint presence at the ITB also turned out to be very difficult to achieve. The reason is simple: in Kyrgyzstan, and all over the world, travel agents are in competition with each other. There is no easy way around this, even in a development project. On the basis of this experience, we decided to stop maintaining the project website and take it offline in April 2010. However, Kyrgyzstan is likely to remain on the curriculum of the Mammut Alpine School.
A safe and clean mountain environment. The slow but steady growth in mountain sports tourism also has some negative consequences: on the one hand, it places a greater strain on the mountain infrastructure, which is showing significant signs of deterioration. On the other hand, more and more rubbish is piling up along climbing routes. The Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project aimed to tackle both of these issues. The focus was Kyrgyzstan’s most frequently climbed mountains – Khan Tengri Pik, Pik Pobedi and Pik Lenin. Mammut was also involved in the renovation of the Razeka hut, the country’s only mountain hut. Khan Tengri & Pik Pobedi In the summer of 2007, 3,000 metres of Mammut fixed ropes were sent to Kyrgyzstan. Due to the short climbing season and difficult driving conditions in places, the equipment had to be transported to the base camp by helicopter. As well as Alexandra Steiner (local project coordinator), the project team included Robert Steiner (climber, instructor, author) and a Mammut employee who worked in Kyrgyzstan as a volunteer. For three weeks they worked at an altitude of over 4,000 metres laying fixed ropes on Khan Tengri and Pik Pobedi. Physical work at these heights is no easy task! Ala-Archa mountains The summer of 2008 saw the renovation of the Razeka hut, Kyrgyzstan’s only mountain hut. The work was supported by different organisations, including the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project which provided financial and material resources. The local travel agent, ITMC Tien Shan Travel, a project partner and the owner of the hut, coordinated the work. Two Mammut employees worked on the hut renovation as volunteers. In the summer of 2009, a Mammut employee went back to work on the hut once again. Constant maintenance is required to combat the effects of the harsh climate and to maintain the green area around the base camp. Pik Lenin The summer of 2009 also saw the launch of an anti-rubbish campaign on Pik Lenin. Although the base camps themselves are generally kept very clean, more and more rubbish was accumulating in surrounding
tenance, the required resources must be made available in conjunction with further awareness-raising efforts.
areas and along climbing routes and at high altitude camps (up to 6,100 metres). There appear to be two main reasons for this problem: on the one hand, insufficient awareness of environmental issues and, on the other, the fact that many climbers view rubbish purely as additional weight, which they often discard during strenuous ascents. The unpredictable weather and inadequate infrastructure are also contributory factors. The rubbish is scattered by the wind or hidden under the snow. In addition, the nearest waste incinerator (unfortunately there is no waste sorting in Kyrgyzstan at the moment) is located in Osh, a 10-hour drive over bumpy roads. In cooperation with the local environmental organisation Eco-Expertise and the local base camp operators, a concept was developed to ensure the efficient collection and disposal of rubbish during the climbing season (July-August). To accomplish this Herculean task in such a short time, climbers (from the local area and Russia) were signed up as volunteer helpers. The Mammut project coordinator and another volunteer from Germany also tackled the area around the base camp. Thanks to their combined efforts, and despite the difficult weather conditions, they managed to fill 250 potato sacks full of rubbish which were then taken to Osh. A lasting effect The remaining Mammut fixed ropes are now managed by the Kyrgyz Mountain Guides Association (KMGA) and used in other Kyrgyz climbing areas if required. The Razeka hut is actively used by both local and foreign climbers. Reactions to the rubbish campaign on Pik Lenin were very positive. Through the Kyrgyzstan Mountain Project, we have played a part in renovating the mountain infrastructure. However, to ensure systematic and long-term main-
Top: 3,000 metres of fixed ropes for the Khan Tengri Pik and Pik Podeba routes. Middle: Razeka hut, before and after renovation. Bottom: Pik Lenin rubbish collection campaign.
The faces behind the scenes. The Mammut project coordinators.
The Mammut volunteers.
The project partners.
The project was co-funded by the Deutsche Investitions- & Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) with public funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Mammut entrusted WiN=WiN with the implementation.
Top: Alexandra & Robert Steiner (local project coordinators). Left: Adolf Schlunegger (expert mountain guide). Top: Corina Zanetti, Leo Caprez Bottom, from top to bottom: Peter M端ller & Raphael Jacquet (2007); Fabian H端rzeler & Maxime Revilloud (2008), Stephan Braun (2009)
The Kyrgyz project partners.