The FACEALPS project had two main objectives (i) investigate the impact of natural extreme events on human activities in the Alps during the last 3500 years, and (ii) establish a lasting network linking researchers from the humanities and natural sciences and local transdisciplinary partners as foundation for future inter- and transdisciplinary work. More precisely the project aimed to examine the evolution of the human-environment system in the UNESCO World Heritage area Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut and to establish a highly resolved record of human-environment interactions over the last 3500 years. Specifically, we investigated resilience and vulnerability of prehistoric and historic communities living in this landscape with regards to geologic and climatic extreme events causing natural hazards. To address these issues a series of natural and anthropogenic archives was targeted within an interdisciplinary research framework. Based on a highly resolved multi-proxy record we were able to gain vital insights into types and mechanisms of natural hazards in the research area, describe the impact of specific types of natural extreme events on the evolution of the socio-ecological systems in the area, characterize the role of prehistoric and historic salt mining in the formation of this landscape and societal response to natural hazards including the identification of risk management strategies. We also established a lasting network linking researchers from the humanities and natural sciences and local transdisciplinary partners as foundation for future inter- and transdisciplinary work.

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