We’ve spent the week up Brauneck – one of the mountains close to Munich. We come for a week most summers and spend the time in a Hütte (mountain cabin/chalet) that we can use via a hiking Verein (club) we belong to.

Every time we come to stay at the Hütte, I’m always impressed that a communally owned property can exist for over 100 years and be kept to such a high level of care and maintenance. All the members contribute by volunteering their time and expertise for different chores or projects and every time we come up there are improvements or renovations that have kept the Hütte improving for over a century. This year members have installed a new electric over and replaced the wood paneling on the front of the building.

All of this is paid for by moderate annual membership fees, accommodation fees and the occasional bequest.

It seems like a good model for real-world things that benefit a larger community and need to survive beyond the interests or lifetime of any one owner.

Nobody owns the Hütte in the conventional sense, but plenty of people clearly feel responsible for preserving it for generations to come.

At a time when we face problems that require long-term planning that will determine outcomes that go beyond the boundaries of an individual’s lifetime, I wonder if these models deserve more attention.

The Hütte certainly makes a compelling little case for them.