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The
Beauties
of Nature
Our
Fauna
Early morning game watching alone or with a guide is an exciting and
rewarding experience, for Saas valley has a richly varied game
population. Naturally, you will need a certain amount of patience
and a talent for observation - you will not find the animals simply
waiting on the wayside!
You can encounter
lively, playful marmots, herds of chamois and even an occasional shy
ibex. On fine days, if you are especially lucky, you may even see
a golden eagle soaring over the Saas valley. Introduced into the
region at the turn of the century, we are now fortunate in having three
golden eagles in the valley.
Our
Flora
The location of the two Vispa valley, i.e. the Saas and the Matter
valleys, is particularly favorable to alpine flora. The Saas
valley is one of the most beautiful alpine flowers paradise in whole of
the Alps. Surrounded by four-thousand-metre mountains, the highest
continuous peak system in the Alps, this region has a very low
rainfall. This dry climate suits the alpine flora excellently,
especially in the crucial snow free summer months.
On the other hand,
the distribution of precipitation in the Saas valley with maximum
amounts in spring and autumn is highly favorable for the alpine flora
vegetation. And the earth in the Saas valley is particularly rich
in nutrient substances, which also promotes the diversity of plant
life. Many of the alpine flowers in the Saas valley are extremely
rare, some are protected!
The alpine flowers
promenade from Kreuzboden to Saas Grund is a unique experience for all
nature lovers. There is a small brochure published about this
nature trail, which is available from the local tourist office.
Forest
Discover one of the highest larch forests in Europe during one of our
numerous walks.
Geology
and minerals
Serpentine, mica schist, gabbros, quartzite, to mention but a few of the
Saas valley minerals. Here, you can experience the genesis of the
Alps at first hand. The Saas Museum has a fine collection of Saas
valley minerals.
Rules
of conduct in harmony with nature
Before setting out on your hike, make sure you are well-informed about
the terrain, the duration of the hike, possible hazards and the
weather. Travel by public transport wherever possible.
Plan your tour in accordance
with your skill and condition. Care should be taken not to overtax
children, and consideration should be shown for the weakest member of
the group. Suit you equipment to the route's degree of difficulty.
For mountain treks, start out early in the morning and return in good
time. Make sure you can turn back in case of sudden bad weather or
other difficulties.
Do not go on
difficult hikes alone. Inform a third person about the duration of
your tour and your route before setting out, and report back when you
reach your destination.
Never leave children
unattended. Please follow the signposted trails and close all
gates behind you. Respect others and be careful not to damage or
disturb plants and animals. Extreme care should be taken with
fire, and you should never light a fire in dry conditions. Please
do not leave any garbage behind you. (From Im Zeichen des wanderns,
published by the Vereinigung Schweizer Wanderwege in collaboration with
the BUWAL, Bundesamt fur Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft)
Environmental
protection and waste disposal
In the Saas valley, we are committed to a clean environment. Thank
you for supporting our efforts to preserve order and cleanliness.
There is a garbage bag tax in the Saas valley. Household garbage
may only be disposed of in the official bags. Please ask your host
for further information about garbage disposal and read the notices in
your holiday apartment.
Every member of the
"Q for you" quality organization is responsible for
environment-friendly management of resources and garbage. The
standards relevant to environmental protection include the following:
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Energy-saving
light bulbs are used wherever reasonable; in new or refurbished
buildings, "light signal switches" are used in public
places.
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The use of water is restricted.
Wherever reasonable, flow
limiters are installed, and attention is drawn to economic use of
water.
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Garbage must always be sorted, and guests must be informed about
this practice.
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