Hotel Hermitage, Bayettes - a private reserve

Positive impact generated

Context

Located in the municipality of Valtournenche, the Bayettes Reserve is a distinctive alpine landscape, featuring larch woodlands, mountain pastures, and rocky highlands. These ecosystems are increasingly threatened by tourism and climate change.

Bayettes stretches over 1,000 hectares above Cervinia and hosts a mosaic of alpine environments, ranging from larch forests and pastures to high-altitude alpine meadows. It is a crucial ecological corridor for deer, chamois, and ibex, as well as for raptors like the golden eagle. Climate warming is causing glacier retreat and stress to alpine habitats, while overtourism exacerbates trail erosion and disturbs wildlife. The project aims to safeguard local biodiversity and maintain the ecological functionality of the area, balancing conservation with sustainable land use.

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Stakeholders and local partners

Who are the key stakeholders?

Management of the project is carried out in collaboration with the municipal administration, the local community, and environmental associations. Stakeholders include tourism operators, mountain guides, and local schools, who participate in educational programs and citizen science activities. Universities and scientific institutions support the project by monitoring biodiversity and collecting data on environmental impacts.

Objectives and approach

The project aims to protect the biodiversity of the Bayettes Reserve and strengthen the resilience of alpine ecosystems by integrating conservation, research, and responsible tourism.

The main goal is to protect alpine habitats and species, reducing threats from human pressure and climate change. The project seeks to improve forest management, prevent wildfires, and promote the natural state of pastures. It also aims to enhance the Reserve as a site for environmental education and sustainable tourism, generating positive impacts for local communities. In the medium term, the project aims to ensure ecological continuity and create a replicable model for managing alpine areas.

The approach includes wildlife and vegetation monitoring, active forest management, managing tourist pressure, and creating educational trails. Light trail maintenance is carried out to reduce erosion and citizen science projects with local residents and students focus on data collection. The synergy between scientific conservation and community participation makes the Bayettes Reserve a model of high-altitude environmental protection.