Forchet interpretive trail – Haiming, Sautens, Roppen
The rockslide within the Forchet forest is an amazing sight. The Forchet is an expansive forested rockslide area at the entrance to the Ötz valley. Almost 3,000 years ago the Tschirgant rockslide covered the lower stretches of the Ötz valley of what is now Ambach and Sautens. Even today, it remains largely untouched by human influence.
Twenty-five trailside signs describe the background of the impressive landscape. At first, geological information is presented which is then followed by comprehensive information about local flora and fauna. The trail connects the communities of Sautens, Haiming, and Roppen and is well-marked. The trail is accessible for young and old with many possible resting points. A helpful brochure elaborates on the trailside signs.
Themes:
- Geology of the outer Ötz valley
- “Dürrberg” (Mount Dürr), a foreign object within the rock slide
- Tschirgant rock slide
- The rock slide
- Tschirgant viewpoint
- Boulders of the rock slide
- Riverside habitats (gravel beds)
- Historic lime oven
- Natural springs and artificial irrigation
- The Roman bath
- Soil, a result of erosion
- Soil, bursting with life
- An ancient cave dwelling
- Forchet, a forest of crippled Pine trees
- The long journey from seed to pollen
- Forchet’s plant community
- Lichens, it takes 2!
- Mosses and their inhabitants
- Forchet, a spider’s playground
- The spiders of Forchet
- The development of butterflies
- Butterflies, weightless artists of the air
- Birds, the undisputed masters of the sky
- Birds and their lifeways
- Badgers, great tunnel engineers
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