Did you know that it takes a plastic bottle around 500 years to break down in the mountains? A cigarette butt takes up to seven years to decompose, whilst a tissue takes almost five. Rubbish in the countryside harms the natural environment and endangers animals. That is why the South Tyrol/Südtirol CleanUP Days initiative is taking place again this year. From 17 to 20 September 2026, the Puez-Geisler and Texel Group Nature Parks, the Odles Slow Dolomites, Gitschberg Jochtal/Rio Pusteria, Ritten/Renon, Ahrntal/Valle Aurina, Antholzertal/Valle Anterselva, Eggental/Val d’Ega, Dolomites Region 3 Zinnen, Ratschings/Racines, Südtirols Süden and Lana are inviting people to take part in joint litter-picking campaigns. In this way, everyone involved helps to protect nature and the countryside. After all, every little bit helps to keep paths, woods and riverbanks clean.
You can join in too.You can collect all the equipment you need from the tourism organisations in the participating regions. You can plan your own route or join a guided litter-picking walk and help clean up a path. You should then take the rubbish you have collected to a designated collection point.