The CAPACITAR Program was among the 5 best projects focused on sustainability that competed for the Mountain Protection Award 2025, promoted by UIAA (International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation).
Alongside our initiative, there were actions presented by France, Spain, and Peru. This is the second time that Gear Tips has been on the finalists’ list. In 2023, the Gas Cartridge Recycling Program won first place in the award ceremony held in Turkey.
Women’s group at the Leave No Trace Course – Level 1 Instructor – CAPACITAR Program
“It’s an honor to represent Brazil in one of the main international awards focused on the conservation of natural spaces. We congratulate the other participants who, like Gear Tips, promote awareness about the importance of education and environmental preservation,” celebrates Pedro Lacaz Amaral, founder of Gear Tips.
This year’s winner was the project Flagship Shelters for the Environment, presented by the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM), which created the “Flagship Shelters for the Environment” label, with the purpose of transforming mountain refuges into points of sustainability and climate action.
Winner of the MPA 2025 Award – Flagship Shelters for the Environment Project – Vénasque Refuge. PHOTO: FFCAM
Through interactive educational tools and awareness events, the project helps visitors and outdoor activity enthusiasts better understand the environmental challenges faced by these refuges and the importance of responsible practices in the mountains.
Check out the other 3 finalist projects of the Mountain Protection Award 2025:
Change Your Approach (Mountain Wilderness France)
The “Change Your Approach” campaign is an invitation for people to rethink the use of fossil fuel-based transportation in mountain sports. By promoting sustainable mobility – public transportation, bicycle, walking –, the project seeks to reduce the environmental impact of mountain practices while enriching experiences in this environment.
Alpine Connections (Kilian Jornet Foundation – Spain)
The project combines physical performance with environmental education by following Kilian Jornet connecting all 82 peaks over 4,000 m recognized by UIAA in the Alps, using only human-powered means. As Kilian crossed glaciers and areas of rich biodiversity, the Kilian Jornet Foundation documented the natural values and vulnerabilities of these areas. Local scientists and environmental associations contributed to building a broader and more accurate understanding of the Alps’ challenges, aiming at their protection.
Guardians of the Valley (Asociación 7a Escalada – Peru)
The “Guardians of the Valley” project takes place in the Andean region of Pitumarca, in Peru. Some of its valleys host high-quality sport climbing and fragile ecosystems, which are home to vulnerable species, such as the Andean cat and the Andean deer. The project aims to demonstrate how mountaineering and outdoor sports can become active conservation tools. In the Ch’aqqo Wayllasqa valley, camera traps were installed in collaboration with AGA (Andean Cat Alliance), and local youth were trained to participate in wildlife monitoring. This effort confirmed the presence of key species and strengthened the connection between the local community and its natural environment.
We thank UIAA once again for the initiative, partnership, and for the opportunity to give visibility to so many conscious projects, and Lenovo for sponsoring and supporting the initiative.
Our many thanks also to the institutions that support us:
- Leave No Trace
- CBME (Confederação Brasileira de Montanhismo e Escalada)
- FEEMERJ (Federação de Esportes de Montanha do Estado do Rio de Janeiro)
- Centro Excursionista Petropolitano
- Abeta (Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Ecoturismo e Turismo de Aventura)
- Nattrip
And, of course, to the sponsors of the CAPACITAR Program, who believe in our cause: Curtlo, Kampa, My Safe Sport, Nos Alpes, Promeal, Sea to Summit and Vapza.
This post is also available in: Português (Portuguese (Brazil)) Español (Spanish)
