Estonian Ski Association and Åre recognized with maiden FIS Nature and Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Award

The second FIS Seminar took place this Monday in Vilamoura, Portugal, with a focus on sustainability – more specifically on the restoration and protection of nature and biodiversity.  

Among the many insights and discussions around the topic, participants had the chance to draw inspiration from a few concrete initiatives and, eventually, to vote on the winners of the maiden edition of the FIS Nature and Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Award. 

Among National Ski Associations (NSAs), the winning project was that of the Estonian Ski Association, which leveraged its Green Ambassadors program to carry out a broad environmental education campaign around the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Otepää.  

The other two finalists were Germany, with the biodiversity-conscious modernization project of the Notschrei Nordic Arena, and New Zealand, for their dry slope facility that sharply reduces the need for international travel.

Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) also submitted their biodiversity-related projects, and Åre (Sweden) was voted as the winner thanks to their Nordic Sustainability Arena, a comprehensive project that included a full day of conference on sustainability, electric grooming, low-impact transport, glacier awareness, and sustainable food.  

Sun Valley’s (USA) efforts to protect forest health through the Bald Mountain Stewardship Project and the Whitebark Pine Project were recognized with a spot among the finalists, along with Trondheim (NOR) for their waste management and event clean-up project at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

The three finalists in each category were selected by a jury consisting of representatives of the Sports4Nature Initiative and of FIS. Participants of the FIS Seminar were presented with a summary of the projects and voted on the two winners, who received each a prize of 3,500 € earmarked to support future sustainability initiatives.