The Gurgltal

The Gurgltal is characterized by its incomparable composition and variety of animal and plant species and habitats in a relatively small space.

Description

The valley story
The Gurgltal is part of the old wild river landscape of the Inn. Before the last large voyage (26,000 years ago), the valley was filled up to 1,000 meters above sea level with gravel. Remains of these glacier collision gravel remained at the Imster Bergl / entrance Rosengartenschlucht and preserved as wooded hills on the northern flank of the Simmering to this day. During the last great icing 20,000 years ago, the valley was filled with a 1,500 m thick ice flow.
The glacier retreat left a deep, in the Gurgltal a deep, by Grundmoräne sealed sea basin. At the same time, the runoff south of the Tschirgants was moved by moraines of the Pitztal and Ötztal glaciers. In Gurgltal there was the backwater of the Imst Lake. Mighty sea-tons deposited themselves over several millennia, until the lake broke out in the postglacial and left a marshy valley floor behind.
About 4,150 years ago there was a huge mass movement. The connection to the Ehrwalder basin was moved by the Fernpass landslide. The block debris spread far into the Gurgltal. The so-called Tomahügel Schuttkuppen today are covered with pine and give the valley floor its own character.

Since the Bronze Age settlement of Imst, the Gurgltal has developed into a cultural landscape. Terraces were created in the dry outskirts, large parts of the swampy valley floor could be used for agriculture only by drainage measures at the beginning of the 19th century.

Diversity in a small space
The variety of meadows, hedges, streams, spring exits, wetlands, ancient terraced landscapes on the sunny slopes, the dry hills of the landslide and especially the large number of Feldstadl from Nassereith to Imst are the source of the home feeling of the valley dwellers. Characteristic of the Gurgltal is a largely traditional, small-scale cultural landscape. The Tiroler Gurgltal is therefore one of the most ecologically diverse and most valuable inner alpine valley areas in western Austria.

Dangers for the valley
Despite the special nature and beauty of the valley, this gem was again and again the target of destructive speculation. The list of planning projects ranges from the construction of the Ulm-Milano highway through the middle of the valley to generous ground mergers to sprawling recreational facilities and golf course projects. All this could be prevented, also thanks to citizens' initiatives.
Today, other threats are in effect: settlements and industrial estates are growing in the valley, the heat from traffic and businesses is increasing, agricultural use is becoming more intense, and unfavorable areas are being abandoned and managed.

Opportunities for the valley
Locals and guests take advantage of the very high recreational value of the Gurgltal as a cyclist along the Via Claudia Augusta, at the Kneipp at the healing spring, during a visit to the Knappenwelt or simply on the promenades. Alternative, sustainable use of land helps to preserve the valuable habitat for man and biodiversity and offers development paths for the future.