The Walgau: A Landscape Shaped by Landslides

Landslides of the slide-type movement are common on slopes of the federal state of Vorarlberg. This chapter focuses on landslides located in the Walgau region, where both shallow and deep-seated slope movements are widespread and leave a distinct geomorphic footprint on the hillsides. Landslide activity considerably increased since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and still plays a substantial role in landscape evolution of the area. Several examples of this chapter highlight that the causes of those slope movements are manifold and a result of a complex interplay between various processes which act frequently at different spatial scales, but with varying intensity. The presented large, deep-seated, and small, frequently occurring landslides of the area are strongly influenced, respectively, caused by an interplay between the prevalent relief-rich topography, the local geological setting, regolith coverages, the humid climate, and recurrent land cover changes. Human activities are also known to directly impact the geomorphic dynamic of several recent landslide events. Major challenges for the future arise due to projected and already observable changes in land cover, climate, and human impact, which may modify the magnitude and frequency of the landslide process itself, but also the exposition of people, their properties, and the living environment.