Large differences in altitude, geological diversity, sustainable alpine farming - all this has led to the formation of a large number of different habitats in the district of Oberallgäu.
When viewed from an airplane, the landscape almost resembles a mosaic: mountain forests border alpine areas, moors border wet meadows, and canyon forests border streams. The individual habitats are connected by countless boundary lines, such as forest edges, which mediate between cleared alpine areas and mountain forests. These borderlines are often particularly species-rich, harboring species from both habitats.
Today, streams and rivers are among the most important landscape shapers in the Upper Allgäu. Due to the steep relief (high mountains, deep valleys), they have a steep gradient. They rush down to the valley at high flow speeds - and in the process continually reshape their stream and river beds, their banks and the surrounding landscape.