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Flora & Fauna
The municipality of Latsch lies in the middle of the Vinschgau Valley at an altitude of approximately 626 m by the Adige up to 3256 m by the Hasenöhrl.Climatically Latsch is characterised by low rainfall caused by high bordering mountains (approximate annual rainfall under 500 mm), a high number of windy days and the long periods of sunshine.
Geology: Latsch is situated in the Middle alpine region. The system is represented by the Vinschgau Valley slate zone (consisting of phylline gneiss with granite gneiss deposits as well as granite hyalites), the Martell quartz phyllite deposited over this, (which forms the mountain ridge between Vinschgau Valley and Ulten) and the zone of old gneisses.
During the ice age the whole area was covered with glaciers with the exception of the highest summits over 2000 m height. This is shown by the existing moraines (e.g. in the Montani region). Even during the phases of withdrawal, Murschutt cones were formed.
Vegetation: Due to the great differences in altitude in the municipal area, Latsch boasts various vegetation zones. The original ground covering in the valley bottom area was water-meadow woods and riverbanks, of which only minimal remains are now left. Inner alpine dry grass areas and tomentum oak bush forests, which we find on the climatically favourable Sonnenberg, can be attributed to Mediterranean influences on the ridge slopes. Above this finally, on the Sonnenberg, we find pine forests and larch forests on the middle level and above this, dwarf shrubs on acidic soil.
The vertical structure on the woody Nörderberg is a different matter: here, rising from the bottom to the top, the landscape is dominated by mountainous and sub-alpine fir forests, pine forest and as final forest stage the especially charming larch /stone pine forests. The “Murkegel”, among the largest in the alpine region, are a specific feature and represent an element that characterise the landscape. Besides the smaller ones at the exits of the side streams, the dominant Tarsch Murkegel that directly cuts off the valley covers a total area of 9 km2.The Latsch landscape is typified by natural beauty, variety and climatic advantages.
The dry grass of the Sonnenberg
The“Vinschger Leiten” are part of an old man-made landscape, which is unique to South Tyrol. The woodland clearing over the course of the centuries, the unique climactic conditions (low rainfall, high amount of sun) resulted in this singular habitat.This area is dominated by native erosion soil which is characterised by its flatness, low water-holding capacity, good water absorption and high warming capacity. After the ice age, plants from the Mediterranean, Pannonian and Central Asian regions colonised the Sonnenberg.
Due to the woodland clearing and/or human farming activity in the form of sheep- and goat-grazing which resulted in an extensively wood-free area, this flora has been able to maintain itself in a landscape mosaic of sparse woods, forest-free slopes and rocky locations until today.
The mainstay of the flora of the Sonnenberg is formed by drought-resistant species, among them many plants, whose distribution centre lies in the Pannonian, Central Asiatic and Mediterranean regions, as well as many Eurasian species, which are in the main, however, rarities.
Fauna: A great variety of animals is bound up with the special living conditions and habitats of the Sonnenberg. The Vinschgau Valley’s Sonnenberg is home to three quarters of all the butterfly species found in South Tyrol and is in particular home to grasshoppers and praying mantises. Foolish buntings, red-backed shrikes and varieties of warblers love half-open, rocky landscapes. Butterflies, lacewings, small cicadas, crickets and spiders prefer dry-grass habitats.
The “Waale” (old irrigation channels)
As in the rest of Vinschgau Valley with low rainfall, many of these sometimes elaborate installations to irrigate farming land are also found in the Latsch region. With their course, visible for miles around, which often represents the border between irrigated agricultural area and shrub thicket or pasture area, they pass through the slopes of the Sonnenberg, are of great ecological significance and also play an important recreational role. In Latsch there are the: Latschanderwaal, Mareinwaal, Neuwaal, Rautwaal, Raminiwaal, Soywaal/Martell, Holzrinnenwaal/Martell, Tarscher Jochwaal, Goldrainer Jochwaal. Kübelwaal, Waal am Latscher Joch, Waal in St. Martin i. K., Kandlwaal, Platzerwaal, 
The chestnut orchards
Due to the climatic conditions chestnut trees are predominant on the lower hilly regions of Latsch. The sweet chestnut is due to Mediterranean climatic influence and fulfils an important ecological niche for all types of hedgerow-breeders.Natural monuments
Surrounded by pinewoods, Tarscher Lake lies in picturesque surroundings near the northern summit of the Ultner crest at a height of 1828 m. A monumental tree of special dimensions is the horse chestnut on the station forecourt, which was planted at the opening of the Vinschgau Valley railway (1906).A third natural monument is the small humid biotope with alder wood and reeds near the Mühgraben, at the side of Latsch railway station facing away from the village. This very small biotope is all that remains of the formerly extensive meadow landscape.
Single objects of special historical-cultural significance
Latsch is rich in impressive traces of prehistory, the hollowed-out stones. These are rocks with man-made depressions of various types, which presumably played a role in fertility cults. Most of the hollowed-out stones are found on historically important paths to the fortified refuges (forts with ramparts), but also near churches, windows, doorways and bridges.The sparse water of the Sonnenberg streams was formerly used intensively for the irrigation of the meadows and fields and also to drive mills. The Tiss mills, the Niederhaus mill (was renovated in an exemplary way) and the Egger mill bear witness to this. A further special zone of historical-cultural importance is the old excavation area of the gold mines.
