New cable car installation including ski slope construction measures in the "Flying Mozart" ski resort in Wagrain, Salzburg

In the summer of 2019, the large-scale "Flying Mozart" project in Salzburg received environmental approval according to the Nature Protection Law. The main measure is the new construction of the (10-passenger) cable car system including the valley, intermediate and mountain stations. At the same time, parts of the snow-making lines will be renewed and ski slope construction measures will be implemented in the Grießenkareck area.

As a result of this large-scale project, the approval authority required an environmental construction supervision with knowledge of vegetation ecology and herpetofauna. This task is carried out by the Aquatic Ecology and Ecology department of the AEP Planung und Beratung GmbH. As the "extended arm" of the authority, the main task of the construction supervision is to advise the project applicant and the construction companies during the ongoing realisation of the project. The construction supervision sees itself as a link between the project applicant, the construction company and the authority.

Construction work in Wagrain in the "Flying Mozart" area began in late summer of 2019 with clearing work. The main construction measures were completed in two periods – the 6 month summer periods in 2020 and 2021 – with smaller measures and individual adaptations to follow in 2022.

Parallel to the construction work, the necessary and officially prescribed impact-reduction measures and compensatory measures were implemented. These range from the creation of new water areas and the transplantation of habitats of high nature conservation value to the enhancement of various habitats through special maintenance and structural measures. The individual construction measures were environmentally monitored at regular intervals through site visits adapted to the respective phase of construction.

Through the interaction with and permission of the client's representatives and contractors, it was possible to efficiently monitor the ecologically relevant details as part of the construction activities. Complaints and requirements for improvement are unavoidable in a large-scale project of this kind. The most important thing is that appropriate countermeasures are taken immediately in the interests of nature and landscape conservation.

By working together as partners, including with the approval authority, it was possible to develop and implement the best solutions for all project participants throughout the entire duration of the project. It was possible to keep an overview of this very comprehensive and multifaceted construction project and view the preservation of the ecosystem and landscape as well as the preservation of biodiversity as a common goal.

The environmental construction supervision project in the Snow Space Salzburg Bergbahnen AG ski area can therefore certainly be viewed as a model for similar large-scale construction projects in the future.