Sägel-Schutt nature reserve on Lake Lauerz

Lake Lauerz is characterized by two features that are rare today and which make it particularly valuable for humans and nature: Due to the typical sedimentation process, its shores are home to an overwhelming variety of habitats that can only be found in transitional areas from land to water. It is also the last lake in the foothills of the Alps whose water level fluctuates naturally.

Flanked by the Rigi and Rossberg, you will find one of the most spectacular and varied moorland landscapes in Switzerland. Unique here is the interplay of the original lake landscape, characterized by extensive reed meadows, with the traces of the Goldau landslide of 1806, when huge amounts of rock and clayey marl thundered into the valley and covered large parts of the ground. Because of its original beauty and its outstanding value as a natural area, the moorland between Goldau and Lauerz is of national importance. The extensive mixture of moors, sedimentation zones, lake and landslide traces is unique in Switzerland. The limited usability of the damp and boulder-strewn valley floor offers a unique opportunity for nature. The valley floor between Goldau and Lauerz owes much of its outstanding value to its barely disturbed water balance. The numerous near-natural streams and ponds, the high groundwater table, but also the sporadic flooding of the lake shore are crucial for the preservation of the diverse moorland landscape with its distinctive biodiversity.