Blooming meadows on the Seiser Alm in summer

Landscape, nature and environment

Development goals of the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm

Kastelruth, Seis am Schlern, Völs am Schlern, Tiers am Rosengarten and the Seiser Alm together form the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm. The area offers ideal conditions for active holidaymakers, families, connoisseurs and those looking for peace and quiet – right in the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage. To preserve the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm as an attractive place to live, we focus on forward-looking decisions in all areas: the economy, environment, society, agriculture, trade and much more.

Key priorities include preserving this unique natural landscape, using resources carefully, expanding public transport and infrastructure, fostering responsible overall economic development, strengthening local economic cycles and preserving the distinctive character of the area.

The four key pillars

Working together for a liveable future

Environment
Economy & Tourism
Society
Culture

Ecological sustainability

To protect the environment, we encourage travel by bus and train and the choice of a car-free holiday. The well-developed public transport network makes this easy.
To reduce plastic use, we inspire visitors to drink the excellent tap and spring water available throughout the region. Refillable water bottles can be topped up at drinking fountains.
We also provide information on waste reduction, correct behaviour in nature, recycling and food waste – all to promote a more sustainable approach to the resources our landscape provides.

Location & directions Respect the mountain
Sustainability in Economy & Tourism

All measures taken in the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm in line with its tourism guidelines aim to benefit future generations as well.
Accommodation providers can obtain the South Tyrol Sustainability Seal to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable thinking and action. Numerous sustainability-focused events and the strengthening of local economic cycles all contribute to the sustainable development of the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm.

Sustainability strategy Local cycles
Social sustainability

Sustainable thinking and action are also key social values. Numerous volunteers and community members dedicate their time to the fire brigade, the White Cross and local associations, supporting social wellbeing. These organisations are equally committed to inclusion and equal opportunities, ensuring that people with disabilities are naturally integrated into the community.
Other important topics include accessibility, the organisation and support of sustainable events and charity activities.

Accessibility Sustainable events & experiences
Cultural sustainability

In the spirit of sustainability, we strive to preserve the cultural uniqueness of the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm. By keeping traditions alive – celebrating festivals, honouring customs and ensuring that traditional recipes and dishes are not forgotten – we pass on their cultural value to future generations.
Local dialects and multilingualism are also part of our heritage and must not be lost. Cultural assets, especially historic buildings, require careful maintenance and protection.

Events and highlights Culture

Respect the mountain Learn how to behave responsibly, sustainably and mindfully in the mountains. Respect the mountains Project “alma” The focus lies on processing high-quality regional products within the region itself. Local cycles Sustainable events Many events in the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm are sustainable – find them all here! Sustainable events

Together we safeguard nature

The South Tyrol Alto Adige Ranger

The Dolomites Region of Seiser Alm is a unique natural and living environment. To ensure that future generations can continue to experience this landscape in all its diversity, three South Tyrol Alto Adige Rangers have been active in the area since summer 2026.

From May until the end of September, the Rangers can be found on the Seiser Alm/Alpe di Siusi, in Seis am Schlern/Siusi allo Sciliar and Völser Weiher lake. They answer visitors’ questions, raise awareness about respectful behaviour in nature, provide information about the special features of the area and observe visitor behaviour. Their aim is to raise awareness of the importance of protecting this unique Dolomites landscape and to foster a respectful coexistence between people and nature.

Our Rangers look forward to meeting you and are happy to provide information, answer questions and offer guidance.

Local climate project

Bike2Work in the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm

Local project
Project Development and New Partner
Requirements for participation
Bike2Work 2026
Reduction in CO₂ emissions

Bike2Work is a project initiated and funded by the lift operators of the Seiser Alm ski area, with the aim of making an active contribution to CO₂ compensation for the ski area. In cooperation with the South Tyrol Eco-Institute and Seiser Alm Marketing, this project to promote sustainable mobility and active climate protection was launched and is now entering its fourth year.

As part of the project, the local population is provided with free e-bikes for their everyday journeys, in order to create an incentive for a long-term change in mobility behavior. Bike2Work specifically supports residents who consciously switch from using their car to commuting by e-bike. The financial resources allocated for CO₂ compensation flow directly into funding this project.
The project started in May 2023 with 10 e-bikes. Due to the high demand in the first year, the Seiser Alm lift operators purchased 15 additional e-bikes, so that a total of 25 e-bikes were available for the project in 2024. In 2025, the program was expanded to 30 e-bikes.

For 2026, Raiffeisenkasse Kastelruth–St. Ulrich has joined the initiative and is supporting the local climate project with an additional 10 e-bikes. This means that a total of 40 e-bikes will be available to the local population this year. This project is not only an important signal for promoting and raising awareness of cycling mobility, but also a concrete contribution to climate and environmental protection.
To apply for an e-bike as part of the project, the following criteria must be met:
• A minimum distance of 2 km to the workplace, or a daily distance of at least 5 km if more than two trips are made per day
• Use of the bicycle for commuting to work on at least three days per week
• Residence in one of the following municipalities: Kastelruth, Völs, Tiers or St. Ulrich
Start of the fourth round

You’ve always wanted to go to work by e-bike? This year again, you have the opportunity to do so! Take advantage of this chance to look after your health and the environment by switching to an e-bike as a sustainable form of mobility. Register starting from 25 February 2026 via our application form and receive your e-bike from May 2026 onwards.

Registration for 2026 is now closed.
The event will take place again in the summer of 2027!
Measurable success

The Bike2Work project has gained momentum: While there were only 11 participants in the pilot phase, there were already 30 participants in 2025.
The number of kilometers cycled has thus increased by 335%, and at the same time, emissions savings have risen by 330%—to a total of 4.59 tCO₂eq.
This saving is roughly equivalent to the average per-capita CO₂ footprint of a person worldwide.

2023: 573,18 km per partecipant
2024: 605,52 km per partecipant
2025: 915,43 km per partecipant
With 1 ton of CO2…
…an airplane can fly approximately 3,800 km (e.g., the route from Frankfurt to Lisbon).
…a train can travel approximately 80,000 km.
…a 45 m² living space can be heated for one year.

To sequester one ton of CO2, a beech tree must grow for about 80 years.

Protecting the Alps together

Preserving the natural landscape

Here’s how you can help protect nature in the Dolomites:

Treat flora and fauna – and people – with respect.
Take your rubbish back down into the valley.
Plan your tours carefully and according to your fitness level.
Stay on marked routes.
Follow rules and operating times in ski and hiking areas.
Buy local products and travel as environmentally friendly as possible.
Experience nature directly rather than only through your camera lens.

To the Alpine Manifesto

Climate Change and carbon footprint

The greatest challenge of our times

Calculate your carbon footprint
Climate change & climate adaptation
Possible scenarios
Challenges bring new opportunities

Support climate protection!

Travelling and going on holiday produce a surprisingly large amount of climate-changing CO2 emissions. You can calculate your footprint and offset your emissions, meaning you can plan your holiday responsibly and with the environment in mind! Calculating the footprint takes less than a minute.

Calculate here
The greatest challenge of our times

Climate change can neither be denied or brought to a halt. It is happening already, and its impact can also be seen in our Dolomite region. The effects of climate change in both winter and summer tourism influences travel behaviour and alters the needs of our guests; tourism offers, infrastructure and heightened climate protection measures must, on an ever-increasing basis, be adapted to the inevitable consequences of climate change.
What will things look like in 2060?

Forecasts indicate a constant rise in temperatures, thus making outdoor activities feasible earlier on in the year than was previously possible. A long spring hike, for example, can now be undertaken in early March rather than April, and a summer mountain summit hike in the early morning rather than late morning. Climate scenarios demonstrate that frosty days, a prerequisite for artificial snowmaking, are becoming fewer and fewer, which will bring greater challenges to the profitability of artificial snowmaking in the years to come. The beginning of winter, marked by temperatures below 0°C and snowfall, is now shifting towards the end of December/beginning of January, which will have a significant impact on the Seiser Alm ski resort seasons.
Adapting to the circumstances

Local stakeholders analysed the situation in our region on the basis of climate change forecasts. Leading on from the results of interviews and workshops, they defined and prioritised a series of measures based on the concepts of exposure and vulnerability including, for example, biking & hiking, seasonal adjustments and winter sports tourism.

We think & act sustainably

Sustainability strategy

Tourism and sustainability are closely linked – including here in the Dolomites Region Seiser Alm. For this reason, we developed a tourism mission statement that forms the basis for all decisions in the tourism sector and guides future development. Sustainability is not a fixed state but a shared journey that we must continue together.

Sustainability strategy

A family with two children is walking through the town center