If the Louvre has the problem of protecting the Mona Lisa from overtourism, the Belluno area and the South Tyrolean municipalities of Val Pusteria are experiencing a similar affliction with the Three Peaks of Lavaredo. Too many people, too many cars, too many vacationers. A crowding during the summer season that results in the impossibility of enjoying, at the leisurely pace of those who know how to go to the mountains, a unique natural beauty. Thus, five mayors from the Autonomous Province of Bolzano who live at the foot of the massif decided to seek a dialogue with the Venetians who live on the other side of the Three Peaks. From Auronzo and Cortina, passing through Misurina, one can access by bus, motorcycle or car, paying a toll that translates into an inexhaustible flow of wealth. From Pusteria, on the other hand, it is only a three-hour walk up. Because the mountains belong to everyone, the mayors of Dobbiaco, San Candido, Sesto, Villabassa, and Braies sat around a table and issued a kind of ultimatum to their colleagues in the Veneto region. Martin Rienzner, First Citizen of Toblach, is peremptory: "The highly sensitive alpine nature is overwhelmed by the current influx, to the point that the visitor experience is compromised by overcrowded trails and chaotic situations. It is a matter of responsibility, policy and image. There is a serious risk that UNESCO World Heritage status will be affected in the long term or, in the worst case, even revoked". Thus, a special assignment has been given to a local historian who is involved with tourism associations. He is to contact the Cadore people and reach an agreement based on precise rules: to limit access in order to save the Three Peaks. The mayors would like to duplicate the so-called Braies model, where a quota system has been working for a few years to reach the lake. There is also a similar system north of Misurina, with a highway-type barrier, but the volumes of cars arriving at the 2,333-meter Auronzo refuge are dramatically higher. The South Tyrolean mayors' agreement will be ratified by municipal councils, then enter the operational phase. To the predictable objections of the Cadore residents, they retort, "So we all lose out," says Rienzner, "Visitors from all over the world are disappointed in having a chaotic experience. In summer there are 13-14 thousand people every day. One can opt for a fare increase, which would induce visitors to stay longer, but in smaller numbers". As the mayor concludes, therefore, too much tourism is killing the mountain and creating a growing feeling of aversion on the part of the local population.
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