SAVE THE GLACIER

2025 International Year of Glaciers

Fort Bard promotes awareness-raising initiatives on environmental protection and educational activities related to climate change. This commitment also translates into initiatives to reduce the fortress’s energy costs and promote sustainable mobility. These efforts have resulted in the Save the Glacier project.

Entitled L’Adieu des glaciers: photographic and scientific research, this project by Fort Bard lays out an iconographic and scientific journey into the glaciers in the big “Four Thousand” in the Aosta Valley to tell the story of their transformation. The initiative translates into an in-depth study of Monte Rosa, Cervino, Gran Paradiso and Mont Blanc covering four years, one for each of the physical and cultural realities characteristic of this Alpine region, with an exhibition for each one.

Fort Bard research scholarships

As part of the L’Adieu des Glaciers project and in collaboration with the NatRisk Interdepartmental Centre at Turin University, Arpa Valle d’Aosta (Regional Agency for Environmental Protection and Prevention of Aosta Valley), the Italian Glaciological Committee and the Safe Mountain Foundation, every year the Fort Bard Association with backing from Aurora Penne finances the “Fort Bard Scholarship”. The aim is to promote study and research into mountain culture from different multi-disciplinary angles (e.g. glaciology, environment, art).

Indren Glacier research project

With its 2020/2021 Membership Card subscription campaign, Fort Bard is funding a research project to measure the reduction in size of the Indren glacier on the Monte Rosa massif, with physical-chemical analyses of the waters in the proglacial lake that has formed as a consequence of its shrinking. The activity will take place during summer 2021. 10% of the cost of cards will be donated to the project by subscribers.

With Skyway Monte Bianco at Green PEA

The glaciers preserve the memory of the world and the by now fragile equilibrium of our ecosystem. To support of the cause of the Save the Glacier project, Fort Bard and Skyway Monte Bianco are joining forces at Green Pea in Turin, the first Green Retail Park in the world dedicated to respect for the environment. Taking up the green challenge thrown down by Oscar Farinetti’s new business venture, Skyway Monte Bianco and Fort Bard have created an installation on the second floor of Green Pea, to raise public awareness of the climate changes that are affecting the glaciers.

Convention with Turin university

A collaboration agreement between Fort Bard, the Department of Agrarian, Forestry and Food Sciences at Turin University and the Interdepartmental Centre for Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments (NatRisk) at Turin University for the development of scientific, didactic and divulgatory activity of joint interest.This relates to research, work experiences and internships, collaboration in the organisation of conferences and other activities for the spreading of scientific culture.

Energy Saving

In line with community energy policies (the 20-20-20 climate and energy package adopted by the European Parliament in 2008) which have established a reduction by the end of 2020 of 20% of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of renewable energies thanks to the Energy Saving (2019-2023) project, Fort Bard intends to promote intelligent revised management of its systems. This will be achieved by improving its energy performance thanks to increased efficiency of its air-con system and the optimisation of most of its artificial lighting system.