Experience forest and wilderness - ecologically and mentally sustainable
The forest, they say, heals body and mind. The wilderness throws us back on ourselves and teaches us again the value of nature. A small specialist tour operator from Upper Austria offers unique wilderness tours with intensive nature experiences, track-reading and many an exciting animal observation - and all this in a completely sustainable way and certified with the Ecolabel. We talked to wilderness guide Bernd Pfleger from Experience Wilderness.
Mr Pfleger, what makes spending time in the forest so special?
The forest is immensely calming. This green, beige and brown all around us. But also the sounds of the birds and the leaves. And the scent of the trees. This positive effect on us is probably evolutionary, as the forest offers us excellent conditions for living. Food, shelter, a pleasant climate. This is where we grew up. This is where we belong. And the opportunity to observe animals is always exciting for us humans.
How can we make such a stay gentle for forest and animals - what are obstacles, what works well?
Go into the forest in small groups to keep noise pollution to a minimum. If possible, stay on the paths, because the animals are used to people on the paths. On the other hand, you discover much more if you sneak through the thicket sometimes. And for the animals, it's usually no problem and normal to avoid the path for a short while. I walk in single file with my groups to minimise the impact. It is important to avoid times and places that are sensitive from a nature conservation point of view, e.g. the breeding areas and times of birds in spring.
Another great tip is to sit silently: That's when you see the most and disturb the least.
Why is good training important when leading groups into nature?
Only if I know how the ecosystem works can I assess whether an exciting activity, such as this walking off the beaten track, is still compatible with nature. And only if I know how people normally tick on a trip, what group dynamic processes happen, can I make a trip interesting, enjoyable and nature-friendly. That's why a tour guide training in combination with at least a nature guide training makes sense. And then it means: a lot of self-study, taking part in other nature tours, and of course going out yourself...
What advice do you have for participants, what can they take away from such an experience?
Don't get hung up on seeing a particular animal. That is usually very difficult. You then focus too much on it, don't notice the other exciting things and are disappointed all the time because it doesn't happen. Just enjoy the spectacle that nature is offering you.
And follow your guide's instructions, even if it doesn't seem appropriate at the moment. Don't take one last photo, one step closer, one minute longer... your guide knows what to worry about so that everyone has a great, safe and nature-friendly tour.
And here you can find the certified tours of Experience Wilderness
These are our requirements for certified tours
And here you can find more information and trips
The Hotel im Wald Hammerschmiede is also dedicated to the forest.
This is what the VKI says about staying in the forest: Link to NL Tip