Gurgler comb

The Gurgler Kamm (also Gurglkamm ) is a mountain ridge in the south of the Ötztal Alps between Hoher Wilde and Timmelsjoch . It bears the Italian-Austrian national border and separates the Gurgler Valley in Tyrol from the Pfelderer Valley and Seebertal in South Tyrol .

The ridge runs from the Timmelsjoch in a south-westerly direction to the Hohe Wilde. There forming Schnalskamm the western continuation of Gurgler comb, both together form the main ridge of the Ötztaler Alps, also part of the main Alpine is. The southwestern end point, the Hohe Wilde ( 3480 m ), is also the highest point on the Gurgler ridge. Other well-known peaks are the Hintere Seelenkogel ( 3470 m above sea level ), the Hochfirst ( 3403 m ) and the Liebenerspitze ( 3399 m ).

natural reserve

The South Tyrolean side has been part of the Texel Group Nature Park and the Lazins-Schneebergzug Natura 2000 area since 1976 .

From 1977 to 2016 the central part of the Gurgler Kamm, from the Seelenkogel to the Schwenzerspitze , was recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve on the Austrian side ; the area is also designated as a biogenetic reserve .

This includes the upper Rotmoostal , the Gaisbergtal , Ferwalltal and Königstal . Most of it belongs to the Ötztal Nature Park and European Protected Area (Natura 2000 area) Ötztal Alps , only the extreme north remains outside. The biosphere reserve also included the Obergurgler Zirbenwald natural monument .

In 2016 Austria deregistered the biosphere reserve (as well as the Köllensee ) from the UNESCO world network because the area had not met the requirements for such protection areas for a long time. This includes, for example, triple zoning in core , care and development zones, the presence of active management and a focus on sustainable development, protection of natural diversity, research and participation of the local population.