ÖTZTAL NATURE PARK

ÖTZTAL NATURE PARK as an umbrella covers a network of protected areas in Ötztal Valley. It extends from the valley floor all the way up into alpine and high alpine terrain shaped by glaciers. The highest point is Wildspitze with 3,774 m. The mountain villages Vent (cradle of the Alpine Association) and Obergurgl (Tirol’s highest church village) as well as Niederthai/Umhausen and Gries/Längenfeld are located in the heart of ÖTZTAL NATURE PARK and are ideal starting points for exploring the area.

ÖTZTAL NATURE PARK is home to a number of near to nature areas: The protected areas Ötztal Alps and Stubai Alps fascinates with high alpine natural landscape with extensive glacier areas. The natural forest reserves in Windachtal at Sölden show typical Swiss pine stands.

The steeply soaring Engelswand cliff at Umhausen amazes with vertically perfectly adapted flora and fauna and is distinguished as a European Natura 2000-protected area and Tyrolean nature reserve. The nature preserve Achstürze-Piburger See at the entrance to Ötztal impresses with incomparable lake ambience and rustic rockfall-landscape.

This brochure "Nature Park Insight" gives you a general overview of the different categories of protected areas, the two protected areas Ötztal Alps and Stubai Alps, the nature reserve Engelswand as well as the landscape protection area Achstürze-Piburger See.

Objectives

The objectives of ÖTZTAL NATURE PARK cover 5 areas:

  • Nature & Landscape
  • Tourism/Recreation
  • Education
  • Research
  • Regional development

These five pillars make up the cornerstones in terms of content for the day-to-day nature park work, within which various projects and initiatives are carried out.

Here you’ll find more details about the objectives & tasks of the nature park.

Fact-Box

  • since 19 Sept. 2006
  • Area: 508 km2
  • 2nd largest nature park in Tirol
  • 3rd largest nature park in Austria
  • 91 km2 glacier surface
  • 67 Glaciers
  • 1.600 km high alpine path network
  • 152 mountains over 3,000 m
  • highest waterfall in Tirol
  • Natural history research
  • High alpine archaeology


Here you’ll get more numbers and facts about the nature park.

7 protected areas

ÖTZTAL NATURE PARK as an umbrella covers a network of protected areas in Ötztal Valley:

  • Obergurgl Swiss pine forest
  • Ötztal Alps protected area
  • Stubai Alps protected area
  • Windachtal natural forest reserve
  • Engelswand conservation area
  • Rauher Bichl
  • Lake Piburg rapids


Hier erfahren Sie weitere Details zu den 7 Schutzgebieten des Naturparks.

[Translate to en:] Schutzgebiet Achstürze Piburger See

Nature Park Tip