Spring cleaning on 300 square kilometers

The winter hiking trails are regularly cleared, sprinkled, and checked – aside from this winter, which proceeded differently than planned due to the pandemic. Once the snow melts in spring, the sprinkled gravel often "wanders" onto adjacent meadows or fields. Unlike road salt, the gravel does not cause any damage there. However, it still needs to be removed, as the meadow would only grow very slowly, or not at all, in those areas.

As seen here on the Leithen meadow path, the top layer of meadow along with the gravel has been removed with the help of an excavator. What appears brown in the coming weeks will quickly recover and soon shine in lush green! Additionally, so-called pools will be cleared of gravel and branches or newly constructed to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall. Alongside the pools, rain gutters also help to channel water away. This prevents cracks, ditches, or holes from forming in the path due to rain. These need to be manually cleaned with a scraper and cleared of stones and debris.

The entire region has a network of over 245 kilometers of cross-country ski trails. To be able to orient oneself well on the trails, signs are placed along the trails everywhere. Since a large part of the trails run through forest areas or fields, and these are used differently in summer, these signs need to be taken down at the end of the season. Excellent organizational skills are required to ensure everything is set up correctly for the next season! In summer, however, numerous bike signs guide us through the region to the most beautiful spots. These are put up during the spring cleaning – and who can resist getting back on the bike as soon as possible?

You might know it from your own garden when the heavy snow melts: The weight of the snow can easily push fences in or break a wooden board. To ensure the safety of hikers and bikers on the paths, the damages caused by winter are repaired annually and various renovation works are carried out. This ranges from the simple replacement of a wooden board to the complete renovation of a bridge, as was the case last year with the Puitbach Bridge in Leutasch. The beautiful and natural Gleirschklamm in the Karwendel is also subjected to a "lifting" every year. Here, entire sections of the wooden path are often renewed, allowing visitors to enjoy the wild, rushing gorge in summer.

With the snowmelt, not only crocuses, primroses, and heather peek out from the snow. Plastic waste, tissues, and cans adorn particularly heavily frequented hiking trails and roadside areas. Despite numerous trash bins along the paths, unfortunately, too much litter still ends up in the wild. Using a litter grabber, the waste is manually collected and then disposed of properly. By the way: Did you know that a cigarette butt contaminates 40 liters of groundwater and takes 2 to 7 years to fully decompose? Here you can find more informative content and tips for reducing waste in nature.

The #CleanUpPlateau Challenge takes place regularly at the Seefeld Plateau and everyone can participate! Here you can find all the details.

The spring cleaning in the Seefeld region is very diverse and elaborate. Depending on the work assignment, the staff is on the move in small teams of two to three employees. They ensure the ideal conditions for the summer season with their craftsmanship and solution-oriented skills. Even when the traces of winter have completely disappeared, the municipal team continues to be regularly active in the region to maintain paths and repair damages.