The Rappenalptal southwest of Oberstdorf never comes to a rest. Months before the power plant plans for the Stillach Gorge, which forms its conclusion, became known, indignation over a natural outrage in its upper area was boiling up throughout Germany. Alp farmers from Oberstdorf had dredged, straightened and channeled the Rappenalpbach over a length of 1.6 kilometers and down to a depth of two and a half meters. Nature lovers from as far north as Germany reported and expressed their horror. The destruction was quickly seen as the worst natural outrage in Bavaria for years, even if the alpine farmers do not want to see that and justify themselves by saying that they only wanted to repair damage caused by a summer flood in the strictly protected area.
So it is hardly surprising that the Rappenalptal has already been a concern for state politicians. Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (free voters) rushed over from Munich and assessed the damage. His verdict came quickly. “Such an intervention in a protected area is unacceptable, it was certainly not an accident,” he said several times. At the same time, he pointed out that perpetrators of serious environmental crimes face fines of up to 50,000 euros and even prison sentences of up to ten years. He also announced that the destruction should be reversed as early as this spring and the former stream should be restored. The latter will not be possible anytime soon. The criminal investigations into the case are ongoing, and the Kempten public prosecutor’s office has commissioned a comprehensive report on the damage. Therefore, the start of the renaturation has been delayed until further notice.