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Environment projects

Encourage respectful climbs in a major site: Piedra Parada

In the heart of the Patagonian desert, in the Province of Chubut (Argentina), Piedra Parada, the "stone", rises like a monolith. Behind her, La Buitreta Canyon, 5 km long, high cliffs nearly 200 feet high, hosted the Petzl Roc Trip in November 2012.The development of a climbing area that respects the environment and the history of this exceptional site deserved to have the Petzl Foundation involved.

The last mysteries of Mount Namuli

  With its imposing granite cliff face standing a gigantic 700m tall, the Namuli, 2,419m, is the second highest mountain in Mozambique. The civil war and the difficulties involved in accessing it have made it one of the last unexplored mountains remaining in southern Africa. Its biodiversity is therefore still unknown to the scientific community.

Spotlight on bats!

The Rhône-Alpes region hosts 30 of the 34 species of French bats. Despite its lack of popularity, they are all protected species, including four main families that live underground. The CORA (Rhônes-Alpes Ornithological Center) works with cavers to raise awareness of the species. The Petzl foundation supports this cooperation which aims to improve our knowledge of caves while encouraging respectful behavior.  

Ecotourism to protect the Tsingy,the stone Forest of Madagascar

The Tsingy of Bemaraha offer one of the most spectacular sights on the Big Island. Here are real rock cathedrals of limestone sculpted into blades or sharp needles: in Malagasy, Tsingy means "where one can walk barefoot” ... Jean-Claude Dobrilla, who is a caver and explorer, has ventured inside these incredible structures. To help maintain parks in Madagascar, he has created the Antsika association, which means "together" in Malagasy. His goal is to help local people to make a living from their natural resources whilst preserving them.

How can birds and climbers live together on the Reunion Island cliffs?

The White-tailed Tropicbird, emblematic of the Reunion Island, has been dislodged from its usual nesting areas. Indeed, the cliffs where they used to nest were partially covered with wire netting due to falling rocks. Today the White-tailed Tropicbird nests in climbing sites. The Ornithological Studies Society of the Reunion Island * (SEOR), in partnership with the Regional Committee of the French Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing (FFME) are committed to reconcile the preservation of the White-tailed Tropicbird with climbing.