Path of nonSENSE in Altenmarkt

Initial situation and problem definition:

In Altenmarkt near St. Gallen, the “Path of the Senses” has existed since the late 1990s, an adventure trail with 16 stations to the 5 senses. The path became a popular walk, but is now showing its age in terms of content, didactics and design, as well as the structural condition of the infrastructure.

The Steirische Eisenwurzen Nature and Geopark, in cooperation with the municipality of Altenmarkt, had a concept drawn up for the redesign and modernization of the adventure trail. This concept serves as a basis and will be implemented in this project. The adventure trail is being innovatively designed for the future and methodically offers numerous attractive interactive innovations.

The topics are very topical and at the same time take up regional content from the Gesäuse region. The priorities include climate change, forest, grassland, river landscape, biodiversity, protected areas in the region such as UNESCO Global Geopark or Gesäuse National Park, cultural landscapes, (geo)history of the region and others. m.

The path also playfully deals with “SENSE and nonSENSE” of natural phenomena, but it is dedicated to the SENSE and the question of SENSE to the same extent. Existing elements are preserved as well as possible and also integrated in the future.

Objectives and target groups:

The primary target group is the regional population (natives), especially families with children. In addition, the offer for guests in the nature, geo & National Park much more attractive (excursion groups, school classes, those seeking relaxation, nature lovers) and thus created another excursion destination for the Gesäuse adventure region.

The theme of “senses” is interpreted in a completely new way: the visitors feel the sensual & humorous way of imitating more or less SENSE or apparently nonsensical nature content (biodiversity, geology, cultural landscape, nature conservation). The stations will be redesigned and staged according to contemporary experiential didactic standards. The course of the established adventure trail will be retained. This results in two main goals:

• Objective 1: Implementation of the concept for the PATH OF NONSENSE (activities 1-3); see below
• Objective 2: Public relations and project management (Activity 4); see below

The adventure trail makes the following contributions to the regional development strategy:

• Raising awareness of cultural heritage
• Awareness raising with regard to nature and environmental protection
• Creation of an additional nature tourism offer
• Increasing tourism value
• Increase in customer loyalty (longer stay)
• Securing jobs in the field of nature education and in the catering and hotel industry
• active involvement of regional stakeholders
• Visualization and strengthening of regional identity

Project Summary:

With the construction of 10 interactive & innovative experience stations and the visitor guidance on the “WEG der nonSENNE” creates a year-round usable (tourist) offer that contributes to the attractiveness and innovative revitalization of the nature and geopark as well as the community of Altenmarkt near Sankt Gallen and the entire Gesäuse adventure region.

The offer for locals and guests deals with current regional and national topics: climate change, biodiversity, nature reserves (areas), history, etc. A somewhat cheeky and very creative implementation is deliberately wanted.

In the implementation of the concept, ecological future topics are deliberately placed in the center of attention and innovative ways of technical implementation are also taken. The design of the entire path allows it to be removed without a trace after 15 years of use. Concrete foundations and the like are deliberately avoided. A new way of dealing with the “resource soil and landscape” is central.

With the support of Land Steiermark and the European Union (LEADER).