provided by Naturfreunde Vorarlberg

As long as we're outside

Barbara Nöken loves the nature of Vorarlberg and shares this passion with young and old alike

We, the people of Vorarlberg, are considered to be rather reserved when it comes to making new friends. However, we are simultaneously very active and passionate about our involvement in clubs, voluntary work, and hobbies. Enthusiasm for a cause connects us, so here are a few suggestions on where you can get to know us better:

Barbara Nöken is an active member of the Nature Friends Vorarlberg and has completed training as an instructor for mountaineering and hiking at the Nature Friends Academy.

What do the Nature Friends do?

For me, the Nature Friends are one of the most important leisure and environmental organizations in Vorarlberg, with a core competence in alpine activities. We have been around for almost 130 years and have always aimed to offer a very broad and, above all, affordable range of leisure activities. This includes an intensive program for children and young people, especially in the areas of climbing, skiing, and mountain biking. For adults, the range is incredibly large – from simple hikes to mountaineering, high-altitude tours, sport climbing, including bouldering, to mountain biking – there is something for everyone.

The area of education and training is also very important to us. We ensure that our volunteers, who offer tours on a voluntary basis, are sufficiently skilled so that the safety of the participants is guaranteed.

In addition, the Nature Friends Vorarlberg, with their local groups, manage 8 Nature Friends huts and houses, 5 of which are leased as alpine refuges. The Nature Friends Training House No. 1 in the Silvretta region is particularly important. The structured training courses for children and young people during the summer holidays are a unique feature, and in winter, popular ski touring courses for all skill levels are held there.

How often do you meet?

The Nature Friends are divided into a federal organization, 9 state organizations, and in Vorarlberg into 13 local groups. There are also various specialist departments such as mountaineering, snow sports, or sport climbing. Within these departments, there are groups in areas like climbing or mountain biking that meet weekly.

In other areas, there is a truly fantastic and extensive year-round program – it’s worth taking a look at our homepage: vorarlberg.naturfreunde.at

Why are you a member of this association? What was your best experience with the association?

“We live nature.” is not just a slogan for the Nature Friends in Vorarlberg – it’s what attracted me the most. Our department for nature and environmental protection is becoming increasingly important and responsible. We are recognized by the ministry as an organization that can exercise party rights in environmental impact assessment procedures, which we do – and we are very proud of it.

My best experience was when a newcomer joined a hike I was leading and enjoyed it so much that she has since been very actively involved in women’s mountaineering.

What is special about the Nature Friends?

I have always found that it doesn’t matter where you live in Vorarlberg. Membership in a local group is not really relevant – you can participate everywhere, and I have always felt welcome.

It is also special for me that it doesn’t matter what you are physically capable of achieving. We do not engage in competitive sports but create opportunities for everyone. I have been on tours with participants aged 30 to 75+ years – it was enriching and incredibly fun.

How did you come to join the association?

After moving from Germany to Austria, I was happy to have found people with the Nature Friends who shared my passion for being in nature. Through this, I had the opportunity to get to know and love the Vorarlberg mountains.

Are you accepting new members? If so, what should they bring?

The Nature Friends are open to all people and cultures, and there are no prerequisites. The extensive range of services and great benefits of the association should be highlighted as motivation.

Where and what do you work as?

I came to Vorarlberg through a job offer and have been working at the Employment Service in Bregenz for 13 years. For me, it is particularly fulfilling and important to spend time in nature as a balance to the intensive contact with people in my job.

How do you balance the association and your job?

The state of Vorarlberg benefits from enormous voluntary engagement. Eventually, I also felt the desire to give something back from what I had experienced with the Nature Friends. After thorough training as a hiking guide, I felt equipped to offer tours myself and get involved in other ways in the association.

I always find the time for it because I make time for it – from my point of view, it’s all about prioritizing where I invest my time meaningfully. I am happy to take a few days off to prepare and lead tours. The smiles on the participants’ faces and wonderful experiences are the reward for it.