Vorarlberg inhabitants and around 180 farms (40% of which are organic). The reserve strives for a sustainable economy and tourism in the region and provides a platform for discussion about society, politics and science. The Biosphere Reserve Großes Walsertal has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2000. Biosphere reserves are the ecological counterpart of the cultural world heritage sites. Aside from sportive offers, Vorarlberg provides cultural attractions of all kinds. The Bregenzer Seefestspiele is the best known festival of the region and poses one of Austria's cultural highlights since 1946. It annually takes place in the months of July and August.
2013 European floods between 30 and 70 years. The bulk of the rain fell in only two days in Salzburg, Tyrol, and Vorarlberg, which is thought to have a return period of more than 100 years. Following the intense rain, sporadic showers and rainfall continued to raise the risk of further flooding but no rainfall of the intensity as that seen on 31 May-2 June occurred. Some Flash flooding occurred in the Polish capital Warsaw on 9 June, as a result of thunderstorms. The flood waters were expected to exceed the levels seen during the disastrous "once in a century" Central European floods