Tucked away in the Rätikon range near Bürserberg in Vorarlberg, Austria, this protected area shelters something rare - forests of mountain pine, locally known as Spirke, a tree so tough it thrives even on the poorest, most acidic or limestone-rich soils where little else can survive.

The landscape here is steep and south-facing, spread beneath the summit of the Taleukopf (1746 m), with gnarled mountain pines clinging to gypsum and limestone substrate. It's a wild, quiet corner of the Alps, rarely visited, bordered by the alpine pastures of Klamperaalpe and Burtschaalpe. Come here for solitude and a glimpse of a truly resilient alpine ecosystem rather than crowds or facilities.

How to get there

• Bürserberg - no marked public trail leads directly into the protected area, access via surrounding mountain paths, difficulty: demanding
• Alternative approach via Klamperaalpe or Burtschaalpe from the north

Practical information

• No public road leads into the protected area
• Rarely used as a recreational area
• Protected under the EU Habitats Directive (FFH)
• One of four Natura 2000 sites in the Rätikon protecting mountain pine forests

Together with three neighboring reserves, this area protects roughly half of Austria's entire population of mountain pine, making it a stronghold for this remarkable survivor tree.