Saline History, Alpine Geo-Ecologies and Contested Waterways

From 3 to 5 June 2016, the Environmental Studies Program held its annual place-based workshop in Berchtesgarden / Bad Reichenhall. The place-based workshop focused on gaining knowledge of this particular setting and improving "environmental literacy". Students were taught to read and experience the place and landscape through different disciplinary methods (geology, geography, ecology, botany, environmental history, anthropology, and political ecology).

The workshop featured an interdisciplinary team of teachers, including Prof. Dr. Anke Friedrich (Geology, LMU), Dr. Andreas Groeger (head conservator and botanist, Botanical Garden, Munich), Prof. Matthias Möller (Geography, University Bamberg), Dorothea Hutterer (History, RCC) and Stephanie Schlosser (ESP alumni, Biology).

Bad Reichenhall’s ecology, geology and environmental history determined this workshop’s main themes. Each day had its own focus on a different topic. The history of salt mining, changing geo-ecologies in high Alpine regions, and the river Saalach's future was explored.

Salt and Mining History

The area was first settled as early as 2500 B.C. Since Roman times, salt has been mined here, and the valley was contested territory between the powerful clergy of Salzburg and the secular powers in Bavaria.

Industry needs energy

In the mining process, salt has to be burned, steel has to be hammered. In 1509, a “Waldmeisterstelle” was installed to manage forestry in sustainable ways. 100 years later, the last forests were choped, and the first pipeline was built to bring salt to Traunstein to have it burned there.

High Alps - Emerging Ecologies and Geology

Saturday was all mountain tops: Anke Friedrich guided us through the genesis of the Alps on site and Andreas Gröger showed us the plants capable of dealing with both alpine climate and alpine tourists.

Contested Waterways

In the early 20th century the river Saalach that powered the mills was dammed for a hydropower plant which helped electricly run the trains. Today, a new plant at the Saalach is planned to provide the energy needed for the “Energiewende”. The power station “Nonner Rampe” is heavily debated in Bad Reichenhall, with valid arguments on all sides. On Sunday we learned about the pro’s and con’s of the plant, giving us a glimpse of the anthropocene’s troubles. Finally, Matthias Möller and Stephanie Schlosser led us through the Saalach’s floodplains and its neophytes.