Ecological transition in the mountain regions

There is an urgent need to get involved in the ecological transition in the mountains. The Snowleader and Petzl foundations offered a call for projects to encourage the green transition in French mountain areas.
The foundations of both Snowleader and Petzl support green transition projects. This call for projects combines their efforts to help the organizations and communities that are acting to preserve our future. We support charity organisations with non-profit projects concerning the mountain regions of France’s mainland or overseas territories.
The projects supported contribute to: 

  • reducing or storing carbon emissions: renewable energies, soft mobility, building insulation, recycling, re-vegetation, re-forestation, agroforestry; 
  • regenerating biodiversity;
  • encouraging awareness of climate change.

 

The winners of the 2023 call for projects

(c) Camille Combes - LPO

LOCATION
Auvergne Rhône-Alpes

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€8,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Restore and create ponds in alpine areas

LPO Auvergne Rhône-Alpes

The association

The League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) acts in favor of biodiversity throughout France.

The project

The Alpi’Mares project takes place over 3 years (2023 – 2025) and consists of creating and restoring mountain ponds to safeguard the populations of endangered amphibians and dragonflies that are dependent there. It will include a large part of raising awareness through action. Alpi’Mares aims to create and/or restore 100 ponds in 3 years.

LOCATION
Haute-Savoie

FINANCIAL SUPORT
€7,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Alpine Express, go to the mountains by train!

Montagne Verte

The association

“We are a non-profit association funded by the community it serves with a simple mission; develop solutions for the region of Morzine to reduce its environmental impact. We envision a valley in which mountains, people and biodiversity thrive. A united community building a carbon neutral, sustainable future for all. We aim to inform, inspire, encourage and integrate with our community ; educate and support businesses to become more sustainable“. 

The project

The association aims to convince foreign visitors (English, Belgian, Dutch) and tour operators to choose the train to travel to the Northern Alps. A connection guide will be published, with practical advice for organizing these trips by public transport.

LOCATION
Isère

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€7,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Train young people in the green transition

CIMME - Center for Mountain and Environmental Professions

The association

CIMME runs a School for Ecological Transition, offering a range of formats to enable young people to discover the full range of possibilities and find a lasting place in the mountain professions of the future.

The project

CIMME is implementing a support pathway towards green transition careers for young people who have dropped out of school. Their intention is to guide young people towards employment and to raise ecological awareness.

LOCATION
Loire

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€7,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Recycling local resources

Association L’Envers du Grenier

The association

L’envers du Grenier is an association whose mission is to contribute to the ecological transition, to the dynamics of the Communauté de Communes des Monts du Pilat (Loire), and to create links and combat isolation. Its objectives are to develop the local circular economy, reduce environmental impacts by developing the reuse of objects/materials, and raise awareness/educate people about the environment (energy sobriety).

The project

The objective is to encourage the inhabitants and professionals of the Monts du Pilat territory (Haute-Loire, France) to reduce their impacts on the environment. On the program: creation of a recycling center and a resource café, soft mobility projects and workshops to raise awareness of the green transition.

LOCALISATION
France

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€6,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

How to go to the mountains without a car

Mountain Wilderness France

The association

Open to all mountain lovers, Mountain Wilderness supports a relationship with the mountains based on respect for people and nature. To achieve this, the association’s actions aim to : maintaining the balance of nature, challenge unreasonable practices, propose gentle approaches to the mountains, and support a diversified mountain economy. 

The project

Creation of an awareness kit to organize a car-free outing, calculate the carbon footprint of a trip, etc. aimed at mountain clubs, climbing gyms and mid-mountain guides.

LOCATION
Massif Alpin

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€6,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Mountain Fresco

Educ’alpes

The association

Educ’alpes, Réseau d’éducation à la montagne alpine, aims to create a network of players in the French Alps, to develop and promote mountain education in all its diversity, with a view to sustainable development.

The project

Like the Climate Fresco, “the Mountain Fresco” raises participants’ awareness of the consequences of climate change on the environment and the mountain economy. After awareness, the game also invites us to project ourselves towards desirable futures.

LOCATION
Isère

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€4,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

A green transition in the Vercors mountains

Vert&Co

The asociation

Vert&Co’s aim is to help people living and working on the northern Vercors plateau to adopt environmentally-friendly practices. The association is aimed at everyone: families, children and adults, as well as professionals and local players, whatever their level of information or commitment to this long journey of ecological transition. Step by step, we want to transform our society to make it more respectful of the environment and human beings.

The project

The association supports residents of Vercors Nord wishing to begin a green transition through conferences, debates and workshops. It offers help to carry out their local projects in favor of the ecological transition.

LOCATION
France

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€5,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations (2023)
€15,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations (2022)

Recycling climbing shoes and ropes

Clean Climber France

The association

Clean Climber’s mission is to ensure climbing for future generations. Clean Climber is committed to cleaning climbing areas, reusing climbing gear and creating more awareness among climbers regarding their own responsibilities. We all have an impact and can change that into having a positive impact!

The project - JURY'S FAVORITE PROJECT

Led by the Clean Climber France association, the Recycle project consists of setting up the first national network for the collection and recycling of climbing shoes and ropes, with the aim of minimizing the environmental impact of this waste. 

The first objective is to minimize the environmental impact of waste produced by climbing shoes and ropes (respectively 150 and 100 tons annually). Clean Climber is collecting old climbing shoes as part of a cradle-to-grave project. Collection boxes are installed in private climbing gyms, clubs and at distributors. The worn-out climbing shoes are collected and transformed into energy-absorbing tiles for sports facilities (gymnasiums, sports halls, climbing gym, etc.). In a second step, a research program will be launched with the manufacturers, in order to maximize the replacement of raw materials in the production of climbing shoes.

The winners of the 2022 call for projects

An organic, participatory and supportive municipal orchard

Plateau-des-Petites-Roches

The municipality

To meet the ecological commitments of the 2,400 inhabitants of Plateau-des-Petites-Roches, a village located at an altitude of 1,000 m in the Chartreuse mountains (France), the municipality has set itself four main objectives: to lead its green transition, to maintain solidarity, to encourage citizen participation and to promote local activity. 

The project - JURY'S FAVORITE PROJECT

In 2022, the municipality decided to create an organic communal orchard for the inhabitants of the village. Bringing old and local varieties of fruit trees back to life is one of the municipality’s primary objectives, but the orchard will also, in the future, provide fruit for the consumption of the school cafeteria and local food banks. JURY’S FAVORITE PROJECT

LOCATION
Isère

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€15,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Collect bio-waste from the Chamonix Valley

Écotrivélo

The association

Écotrivélo is an association that collects biowaste from professionals in the Chamonix valley (restaurants, hotels, bars, canteens, etc.). This waste is then composted locally in the valley. Rounds are carried out by bicycle, for the sake of proximity and respect for the environment.

The project

The Écotrivélo association is developing a local solution for sorting waste with a simple system: the collection of bio-waste from local businesses (restaurants, collective kitchens, etc.) which is carried out by bicycle trailer. The collected bio-waste is converted into compost and will be used locally. In 2023, the association plans to expand their efforts to include mountain restaurants.

LOCATION
Haute-Savoie

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€10,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Protect high altitude wetlands

France Nature Environment Haute-Savoie

The association

France Nature Environnement seeks to defend and safeguard the department’s nature and environment.

The project

Not well understood by the general public, wetlands are home to incredible biodiversity and provide us with valuable ecological services. At high altitude, due to climate change and anthropization, wetlands are drying up and experiencing an alarming decline. To protect them, the France Nature Environment Association raises awareness among hikers in mountain refuges located near wetlands.

LOCATION
Haute-Savoie

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€9,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Refuges, beacons for the environment

French Alpine Club of Briançon

The association

One mission of alpine clubs is to encourage members to respect and protect mountain environments through education.

The project

Mountain refuges are isolated places deep in the mountains. They fit in seamlessly with their surroundings and help preserve nature, as well as energy. The Briançon alpine club hosts activities in refuges, with games, scientific experiments, and nature observations to educate hikers and students.

LOCATION
Hautes Alpes

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€5,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Creating an edible and educational forest

L’École Buissonnière

The association

The L’École Buissonnière association is all about discovering living things.

The project

In an immersive outdoor experience, L’École Buissonnière offers opportunities for children and their families to participate in sustainable activities that contribute to ecological transition in their region. Their goal is to create a forest that is both edible and educational, and to act as a basecamp, continuing to educate locals, young and old.

LOCATION
Savoie

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€5,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations

Reducing household energy consumption in the mountains

Et Maintenant

The association

Et Maintenant (And Now), is an organization made up of people living in the Bauges mountains of France. 

The project

The group launched the “negawatt household” (short for negative wattage) project. The project is based on the Interreg Europe “positive energy families” challenge. By measuring and understanding household energy usage, their objective is to offer solutions that will reduce participant consumption five-fold.

LOCATION
Isère

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
€5,000 – Snowleader & Petzl Foundations