Discover the nature park

Licca - the fast flowing

The Celts gave this name to the wild river Lech.

On the Tyrolean side, this designation still fits today, because the river shapes the appearance of the valley.

Due to the near-natural watercourse of the Lech, characteristic landscape types and biotic communities of a wild river are formed: Reversal stretches, gravel and rubble banks as well as wide floodplain forest areas of Weichholzau, Grauerlenau and dry Kiefernau line the wild river.

Unimproved rivers have become a rarity
- river engineering, regulation and power plant construction have forced almost all Central European rivers into an artificial bed and destroyed wild river landscapes. Therefore, the typical habitats of the wild river landscape Lech are among the most threatened landscape types in Central Europe. They are of international importance and therefore the special objects of protection in the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park. River-dwelling animals and plants specially adapted to this habitat have become very rare. These partly highly endangered animal and plant communities make this landscape so particularly valuable.
  • The plant world

    The Tyrolean Lech Nature Park is an extremely species-rich area. It is a reserve for many endangered plants!

    After the ice ages, many plant species spread out on the gravel areas along the Lech towards the Alps or the Jura. Like no other river landscape in the Northern Alps, the Lech Valley has a central importance as a migration and dispersal line (floral bridge) for the flora between the Alps and the Jura. The Lech serves as a dispersal axis. The seeds of the plants are not only spread by water, but also by wind. This allows them to spread both downstream and upstream. In this way, many plants can establish themselves. But also the close interlocking with the riparian forests contributes decisively to the species richness, as many plants find here a suitable habitat as home.

    It is therefore not surprising that the floodplains are referred to as the "jungles of Central Europe". No other landscape type in Central Europe is as diverse and species-rich! One third (1,116 species) of all plants native to Tyrol grow in the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park. Of these, one third (392 species) are very valuable and classified as endangered and are at home at the Tiroler Lech!

  • The animal world

    The Tyrolean Lech belongs to the Natura2000 network of protected areas and is the habitat of numerous protected animal species (according to the legal basis of the Europe-wide Flora-Fauna-Habitat Directive and the Birds Directive).

    The composition of the animal species living here is as diverse as the wild river landscape. From species found in the oxygen-rich, cold river water to the impressive gravel bank specialists and floodplain forest species, the spectrum of a wild river habitat is wide. Species that have become very rare find their last habitats along the Lech. The nature park stands for their protection and is committed to their continued existence.
  • The geology

    From a distance, the stones along the Lech all look the same. Gray and more or less rounded by the Lech water. But that is deceptive!

    If you take the time to look at the Lech pebbles up close, you will see other colors on the gravel banks besides the gray ones. Green, red, pink, white ... Round or rather angular ... Each stone can tell stories of its formation.

    Gravel, stones, boulders, sand - all together is also called bedload. And for good reason. Because the Tyrolean Lech river pushes a large quantity of stones down its valley with the water. If bedload transport were stopped, the Lech would deepen, gravel banks would disappear, and the Tyrolean Lech would flow through the valley as a straight stream. Therefore, the Lech pebbles are an important lifeline of the Lech.

    But the Lech is "rich in stones." Its side streams constantly bring it rock material from the mountains. This material is crushed and rounded on its way. The stones are deposited as gravel, and during floods they are carried away, further crumbled and ground. From above, new gravel keeps coming in, which is rolled through the Lech.

    The colorful Lech pebbles have a lot to tell! Different colors and shapes indicate their history of origin.
  • The habitats

    The special features of a wild river are its special habitats. These show a fascinating diversity, from barren to lush, from dry to wet. The play of contrasts is based on the dynamics of the wild river. A wild river landscape is constantly changing as floods and dry seasons come and go.

    Thus, wild rivers are landscape artists, as the water regime and the bedload or sediment load (rearrangement of substrate) are the main factors shaping the habitats. The water of the Lech, itself an important habitat, runs through the valley like a lifeline and is fed by many side streams along its course. In the process, it shapes the banks and forms a mosaic of gravel banks, riparian forests and well waters. Nothing stands still, everything is constantly changing. Specialists of the animal and plant world are adapted to this and need the habitats of the wild rivers for their continued existence.

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Allgäu and Lechtal Alps

Geology
Children of the sea - the Allgäu and Lechtal Alps. About 240 million years ago, the present continents formed the huge primeval continent of Pangaea. Part of the sea that surrounded Pangaea was the Th...
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Allgäu Layers

Geology
Yellow-gray stones with dark spots - the stained marl (Allgäu layers). The seafloor of the Tethys Sea also had deeper basins filled with calcareous mud. Worms have formed du...
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Alpine Knorpellattich

Plants
The alpine knot lettuce (Chondrilla chondrilloides) is a rather inconspicuous composite plant, which grows 15 - 30 cm high. The pioneer plant community "Knorpelalatflur" is named after it. A...
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Alpine alluvial

Plants
The dwarf bellflower (Campanula cochleariifolia), the white silverroot (Dryas octopetala), the alpine edelweiss (Leontopodium nivale), the alpine leekweed (Linaria alpina) or the blue-green stonebr...
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Aptych layers

Geology
Similar to the radiolarites, the aptych layers are not completely rounded, because they are very hard. Their place of origin was far from the mainland in the deep sea, therefore they show a ...
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Riparian forests

Habitats
Extensive floodplain forest belts line the Lech, but they differ greatly. They are divided into willow-tamarisk scrub, dry floodplain forest and softwood floodplain. However, one thing the different...
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Bilek's azure damselfly

Animals
The Bileks damselfly (Coenagrion hylas) is probably the rarest damselfly in Central Europe! It is under strictest protection and is the heraldic animal of the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park! Pale blue-black g...
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Well water

Habitats
Brunnwässer are small, slow-flowing tributaries of the Lech River that are fed by hillside streams. They flow along the valley floor until they flow into the Lech without much difference in elevation. Fü...
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Colorful jurassic limestone

Geology
At the same time as the Allgäu strata, the Bunten Jurassic limestones or Bunten Schwellenkalke were formed. 190 million years ago, the colored Jurassic limestones were formed on the higher-lying threshold...
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German tamarisk

Plants
The German tamarisk (Myricaria germanica) is a real survival specialist on the Tyrolean Lech. It belongs to the tamarisk family and can grow up to 2 m high. With its huge root...
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Three-toed Woodpecker

Animals
The Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) is a character species of subalpine spruce forests. It is about the size of a blackbird and has black and white patterned plumage and the wings...
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Fly Agaric

Plants
Fly agaric (Ophrys insectifera) belongs to the family of orchids and reaches a height of 15 - 40 cm. It is an amazing plant because its two to 20 velvety reddish-brown flowers with ai
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Little Ringed Plover

Animals
To see it, you have to look closely! If something moves quickly and jerkily on the gravel banks of the Tyrolean Lech and repeatedly stops briefly in place, it could be the ...
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Common Sandpiper

Animals
Hidididi! Loud and shrill is the call of the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos). Its habitat is the wild river. Here, where the water is constantly rushing, he has to come up with tricks to keep his...
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Riverbank wolf spider

Animals
Only when the riverbank wolf spider moves on the gravel banks of the Tyrolean Lech, it can be easily recognized. With their gray-brown coloring and contrasting markings, these spiders are ...
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Goosander

Animals
The common merganser (Mergus merganser) belongs to the duck family and is about 66 cm long. He is a specialist among fish catchers! This bird is slender and it has a long, narrow...
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Spotted snail cricket

Animals
A buzzing sound, red wings and she's gone again! If you walk through the Trockenau forests along the Tyrolean Lech in July, you may encounter it. The spotted snook can be seen in the...
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Yellow lady slipper

Plants
The flower of the Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) is unmistakable, a species of orchid that grows up to 70 cm high and is considered a highly endangered species in Austria and belongs to the protected...
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Common juniper

Plants
The common juniper (Juniperus communis) is known mainly as juniper bush. As a cypress species, it is found mainly on dry, rather nutrient-poor, calcareous soils. The pungent...
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Geology general information

Geology
From a distance, the stones on the Lech all look the same. Gray and more or less rounded by the Lech water. But that is deceptive! If you take the time to look at the Lech pebbles up close, you'll...
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Gossau layers

Geology
We are talking about the youngest rocks of the Lechtal Alps. They were formed in the Cretaceous period (90 million years). During the first mountain-building phase, erosion/weathering has already started....
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Grey Woodpecker

Animals
The gray woodpecker (Picus canus) is slightly smaller than a jay and prefers to inhabit old deciduous forests. The head, neck and underside of this woodpecker are gray. The back and tail ...
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Large two-leaf

Plants
Another orchid species found in the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park is the large two-leaf (Listera ovata). It grows to a height of 20 - 50 cm. The orchid has two opposite, egg-shaped branches at the lower end of the stem.
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Main dolomite

Geology
Gray, this color has mainly the main dolomite (CaMg (CO3)2). It can be found most frequently on the gravel banks of the Tyrolean Lech. As one of the oldest rocks, the main dolomite was formed ...
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Invasive neophytes

Plants
What are invasive neophytes? What can I do? Neophytes ("new plants") are alien plant species that were introduced to a new area by humans after the discovery of the Americas (1492).
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Great crested newt

Animals
The great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) is the largest native newt species, which grows up to 14 cm (male) or 18 cm (female). The yellow-orange belly, which is usually decorated with large black...
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Gravel and gravel banks

Habitats
A wide network of river arms and gravel islands ... ... this is how the Tyrolean Lech presents itself to the observer. This labyrinth of gravel and pebble banks is the characteristic image of a...
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Koppe

Animals
Bullhead - this is the common name for the bullhead (Cottus gobio) because of its large, thick head and wide mouth. On stony stream bottoms, this 15 cm small brownish fish is at rest in...
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Coessian layers

Geology
In the upper Triassic period, about 210 million years ago, the Kössen strata were formed from deposits in a shallow sea, which was hardly deeper than 50 m. The conditions were partly rather l...
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Natterjack toad

Animals
It owes its name to the light dorsal stripe along the spine - "of the cross". They can also be easily recognized by the way they move around - natterjack toads (Epidalea calamita) hop...
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Tree frog

Animals
The tree frog (Hyla arborea) is an excellent climber. It climbs trees with its adhesive discs on the tips of its fingers and toes. But you have to look closely to see this little "tree fro...
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Mosquito hellebore

Plants
Gnat's hellebore (Gymnadenia conopsea) belongs to the family of orchids. Its stem is 20 - 50 cm high and leafy. The flowers are violet-red or purple to whitish and they are close together.
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Oberrhätkalk

Geology
The Oberrhätkalk is very difficult to find on the gravel banks at the Lech, because it is very similar to the Wetterstein limestone. It was formed by marine sediments between the Triassic and Jurassic...
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Orchids

Plants
The Tyrolean Lech Nature Park is characterized by a particularly species-rich orchid flora. In the vast riparian forests and on mountain slopes there are many different orchids to marvel at.
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Plant world

Plants
The Tyrolean Lech Nature Park is an extremely species-rich area. It is a reserve for many endangered plants! After the ice ages, many plant species spread on the gravel areas along the...
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Radiolarite

Geology
Red and green stones, angular and interspersed with calcite veins - the radiolarites add color to the gray gravel beds! To get to the place of origin of this rock, you would have to ...
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Raibl layers

Geology
In the Upper Triassic, about 220 million years ago, the Raibl strata were formed in shallow seas with numerous reefs. A dry and subtropical-hot climate prevailed. The input v...
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Black Woodpecker

Animals
The crow-sized Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) is the largest European woodpecker species in the Tyrolean Lech Nature Park. Its plumage is pitch black. Immediately striking is the scarlet crest, ...
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Side valleys

Habitats
The side valleys of the Lech Valley owe their present appearance to the glaciers of the ice ages. The ice of the mighty Lech Glacier (origin: Würm, catchment area: northern Limestone Alps, connection wi...
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Woodpeckers general information

Animals
Woodpeckers are among the most attractive forest dwellers due to their attractive appearance. With their distinctive drum roll and their working tracks (chopping and building activity) on the trees, they are very attractive for observa...
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Spirke

Plants
The spiral (Pinus uncinata) is often referred to as an upright-growing mountain pine. Mountain pine (Pinus mugo) and spurge cannot be clearly distinguished from each other. Thus, the spiral is not always considered e...
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Stone crab

Animals
The stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) turns night into day. The up to 8 cm long stone crayfish are protected by the Tyrolean Nature Conservation Ordinance and belong to the crayfish in the Nat...
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Marsh hellebore

Plants
The 20 - 50 cm tall marsh hellebore (Epipactis palustris) loves especially calcareous, nitrogen-salt-poor soils. It can be found in fens and meadows, moorlands, riparian forests and dune valleys.
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Trockenauwald

Plants
A dry snow heath pine forest develops on riparian terraces. It is one of the most species-rich and colorful forest types in Central Europe. Rare orchids like the fly agaric are found here.
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Birds

Animals
Gold for the Lech Valley - Tiroler Lech Nature Park is an "Important Bird Area" For bird lovers, Tiroler Lech Nature Park is one of the top addresses in Tyrol. From approx. 150 in Tirol native...
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Birds general information

Animals
Gold for the Lech Valley - The Tyrolean Lech Nature Park is an Important Bird Area For bird lovers, the Tiroler Lech Nature Park is one of the top addresses in Tyrol. From approx. 150 in Tirol native...
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Softwoodau

Habitats
In the lower reaches from Reutte, the softwood floodplain is the most common. In addition to willows, gray alder grows here in particular. Due to the flat area, but also due to the construction, calmer sections of the river occur. At
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Willow Tamarisk Scrub

Plants
In the upper reaches of the Lech, mainly coarse sand and gravel is deposited on the banks. This soil can store almost no water and although the large amounts of water of the Lech in the immediate vicinity s...
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White forest hyacinth

Plants
The white wood hyacinth (Platanthera bifolia) was named Orchid of the Year by the Arbeitskreisen Heimischer Orchideen (AHO) in 2011.
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Weatherstone lime

Geology
The Wetterstein limestone is a hard rock with a high lime content. It was formed under tropical conditions in the Tethys Sea about 230 million years ago. In shallower parts of the sea, ri...
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Wild river Lech

Habitats
The Tyrolean Lech is unmistakable! It is the last wild river in the northern Alpine region and, as the "last wild one", shows largely natural dynamics in its wide river bed with mighty...
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Dwarf bulrush

Plants
Its name indicates its size. With a height of 30 - 80 cm, the dwarf bulrush (Typha minima) is significantly smaller than other bulrush species. Its occurrence is an indication of an intact riverine...
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