Overview
- In mid-July 2026 the Club Alpino Austriaco issued public alerts after reports showed dozens to hundreds of new small stone stacks appearing on many peaks.
- Scientists from the University of Innsbruck and park rangers say removing stones destroys microhabitats for lichens, mosses and invertebrates and exposes thin alpine soil to drying and erosion.
- Experts warn that the loss of stones can alter local microclimates and that damaged patches may take many years to recover because high-altitude life is slow to return.
- Alpine associations including CAI Alto Adige and ÖAV stress most builders act without malice and are promoting Leave No Trace education rather than fines or formal bans.
- Cairns have a long history as shepherds’ orientation markers, and club leaders say turning them into a mass tourist trend risks eroding that heritage and creating misleading trail markers for hikers.