FORESTS

• As a preservation measure, the forests are closed to skiers. There is generally plenty of skiing terrain in wood free areas. Where closing of the forest is not practicable, selective closing of pathways keeps skiers to routes which prevent forest erosion.

• Financial expenditure has been made to compensate farmers for loss of century-old cattle forest grazing rights, a measure which has encouraged strong growth of young plants.

• The community has financed tree nurseries where indigenous species (spruce, pine, larch, mountain ash) have been raised for planting out in the forest. In the summer months, guests can help to plant trees in Lech's Visitors' Forest and learn about the significance of woodland in high mountain zones.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

• The public transport network is of vital importance to the community of Lech. The new free Lech Village Bus service has taken a major step towards reducing car journeys. The summer schedule is daily, every half hour between 08.00 and 18.00 hrs. The bus covers the whole village and as far as Zugertal. (The private road to Spullersee and Formarinsee is closed to private vehicles).

• In winter the service operates as a Ski Bus every 15 minutes from 07.00 - 19.30 hrs and connects Lech with the Rauz-Valfagehr ski zone.

• During the winter season there is a communal night taxi that can be ordered by phone from 19.30 to 04.30 hrs!

• The village of Oberlech is completely vehicle free in winter. Goods and luggage are transported up from the cable-car valley station and onward via electric cars through a system of tunnels. The snow vehicles which were previously used for luggage transport have now also become redundant.
  
  Underground garages for idle vehicles - part private, part public - can accommodate more than 1,350 cars.

EFFECTS ON TOURISM

• In January 1992 the people of Lech voted against a plan to host the 2001 Ski World Championship jointly with St. Anton. It was felt that bringing such an event to the village was not in harmony with the aims of reducing environmental damage. Furthermore, additional building work would have been necessary.

• The resort's hotels encourage guests to re-use bath and hand towels to reduce detergent in the water system and have also reduced the amount of single portion packaging used at breakfast.

• Several project groups are working on environmentally friendly solutions, particularly with regard to energy conservation, improvement of air quality and general quality of life for both guests and inhabitants.

• Lech has twice been awarded an "Exemplary" certificate in a competition between Austrian communities. A six person jury evaluated 400 communities according to their environmental culture, village conservation, installations and measures taken to improve quality of life. The main criteria for awarding the highest certificate to Lech was its building regulations, which control both building activity and use of land, the control of lift passes issued in winter and the decision to decline large events.

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