Oxeye daisies and bellflowers in a species-rich meadow
Brandenburg · HVE (Eingriffsregelung nach BNatSchG)
Natural region D03 · D04

Eco-points and compensation areas
District of Uckermark

Compensation and replacement measures and eco-accounts in Uckermark District, the forest-rich northeast of Brandenburg. greeNature solutions plans, secures and manages compensation sites according to the Guidance for implementing the impact mitigation regulation (HVE), operates nationwide and is familiar with Brandenburg state law.

~3.077
km² district area
~118k
Population
30
Cities and municipalities
38
Inhabitants per km²
~60 %
Area under protection
District of and ecology

The District of Uckermark at a glance

Uckermark District lies in the far northeast of Brandenburg on the border with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Poland. At around 3,077 km², it is Brandenburg's largest district, yet with only about 118,000 inhabitants and a density of 38 inhabitants per square kilometre is also one of Germany's most sparsely populated areas. The district seat and administrative centre is Prenzlau. The wide, open agricultural landscape with its fertile loam soils characterises large parts of the district.

Naturally, Uckermark belongs to the Uckermärk hill country (natural region D03), an undulating Weichsel ice-age landscape with ground and end moraines, outwash plains and numerous ridge lakes. Characteristic are thousands of ponds, small ice-age dead-ice water bodies that pervade the field, plus kettle bogs, wet meadows and the lowlands of Uecker and Randow. Old, near-natural beech forests stand on the end moraine ridges.

About 60 percent of the district's area is under nature or landscape protection. In the east near Schwedt/Oder lies the Lower Oder Valley National Park, Germany's only floodplain national park; in the south, the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve with the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Grumsiner Beech Forest; in the west, Uckermärk Lakes nature park. The large, fragmented forests and wetlands make Uckermark a nationally significant breeding area for imperial eagle and a refuge for white-tailed eagle, black stork, crane, otter and beaver.

In Brandenburg, impact and compensation according to sections 13 to 15 BNatSchG in connection with the Brandenburg Nature Conservation Act are assessed through verbal argumentation according to the HVE; there is no state-wide eco-points procedure. Compensation and replacement measures should take effect in the affected natural region and can be advanced via eco-accounts and land pools according to the Land Pool Regulation (FPV). Projects such as the PCK refinery and the paper industry in Schwedt, wind power expansion and high-voltage grid expansion as well as transport and settlement projects regularly generate compensation requirements.

Oxeye daisies and bellflowers in a species-rich meadow

🗺️ Associated natural regions

D03
Rückland der Mecklenburg-Brandenburgischen Seenplatte
Go to natural region D03 ›
D04
Mecklenburgische Seenplatte
Go to natural region D04 ›

📍 Selected municipalities

Prenzlau (seat)Schwedt/OderTemplinAngermündeLychenBoitzenburger LandNordwestuckermarkUckerlandGartz (Oder)BrüssowGerswaldeOberuckerseeGramzowMescherin

🌿 Ecological features

  • Lower Oder Valley National Park near Schwedt, Germany's only floodplain national park
  • Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve with UNESCO World Natural Heritage Grumsiner Beech Forest
  • Uckermärk lakes nature park in the west of the district
  • About 60 percent of the district's area under nature or landscape protection
  • Uecker and Randow lowlands as extensive wet and lowland habitats
  • Thousands of ponds and ridge lakes of the young moraine landscape
  • Nationwide significant breeding area for the imperial eagle

✅ greeNature on the ground

greeNature develops and manages eco-account and compensation sites in Uckermark according to Brandenburg state requirements. We secure suitable sites, plan natural-region-appropriate improvements such as restoration of ponds and small water bodies, rewetting of wet grassland in the Uecker and Randow lowlands, or near-natural forest conversion, and coordinate them with the lower nature conservation authority of the district. Impact and compensation assessment is undertaken through verbal argumentation according to the HVE; recognition and provision is handled via eco-accounts and land pools under the Land Pool Regulation. From site selection through implementation to management, monitoring and documentation, we accompany project developers, municipalities and companies so that compensation takes effect in the affected natural region.

Compensation in the district

Typical measures in the district of Uckermark

💧

Ponds and small water bodies

Sediment removal, restoration and establishment of ice-age ponds in the field landscape, a measure type typical for Uckermark with high value for amphibians, dragonflies and networking of small water bodies.

🌾

Wet grassland extensification

Conversion of intensively used sites to species-rich wet and marshy grassland in the lowlands of Uecker and Randow, with adapted mowing and rewetting as feeding habitat for meadow-breeding birds and the imperial eagle.

🌿

Fen rewetting

Raising water levels in drained kettle and lowland bogs, restoration of peat-forming vegetation with effects on water balance, species protection and climate protection.

🏞️

Waterway restoration

Restoration of Uecker, Randow and tributary waters, establishment of water-margin strips and woody margins, and improvement of accessibility as habitat for otter, beaver and kingfisher.

🌳

Hedges, avenues and forest conversion

Establishment of hedges, avenues and field copses for habitat networking in the open agricultural landscape and near-natural forest conversion with retention of old and deadwood in the beech stands of the end moraines.

🪺

Species protection CEF and FCS

Advance measures under section 44 BNatSchG, such as nest site and feeding area protection for the imperial eagle, bat roosts, replacement habitats for sand lizard along routes, and securing the favourable conservation status of affected species.

Species diversity

Protected species in the Uckermärk hill country and Lower Oder valley

🦅

Imperial eagle and white-tailed eagle

Uckermark ranks among Germany's most important breeding areas for the imperial eagle. It requires undisturbed forests with adjacent, extensively used wet and marshy grassland as feeding habitat, secured through nest site protection and grassland management. The white-tailed eagle also breeds at the lakes and forest margins.

🐦

Black stork and crane

Black stork uses near-natural broadleaf forests with forest ponds and undisturbed streams; crane breeds in rewetted alder carr and bogs. Rewetting and securing of undisturbed forest waters count among effective measures.

About this species ›
🪶

Kingfisher on Uecker and Randow

On the clear flowing waters and lakes, kingfisher breeds in natural steep banks. Waterway restoration, water-margin strips and development of vertical walls improve its breeding and hunting territories.

About this species ›
🐸

Amphibians of the ponds

Red-bellied toad, tree frog, marsh frog and great crested newt inhabit the numerous ponds and small water bodies of the ground moraine. Sediment removal, establishment and networking of these water bodies are classic species protection measures of the region.

About this species ›
🦇

Bats in forests and avenues

Old beech forests, avenues and structures provide roosts for Barbastelle, greater mouse-eared bat and other species. Roost safeguarding, retention of old and deadwood, and replacement roosts are regularly required for impacts.

About this species ›
🌾

Skylark and open-country species

The wide arable landscape of Uckermark is habitat for skylark, yellow-breasted bunting and ortolan. Flower strips, arable fallows, larch windows and extensively used margins strengthen populations of open-land species.

About this species ›
Typical projects

Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?

⚗️

Industry and Schwedt refinery

The PCK refinery and the paper industry in Schwedt/Oder rank among the largest industrial sites in northeast Brandenburg. Conversion, expansion and transformation towards new production methods generate compensation requirements that greeNature covers with suitable compensation and replacement measures.

⚡

Wind power and electricity grid

Uckermark is a focal area for wind energy. New and repowered wind parks and the expansion of high-voltage grids (including the Uckermark line) trigger impacts that must be assessed through verbal argumentation and frequently require CEF and FCS measures for large and raptorial birds.

🛣️

Transport and infrastructure

The federal motorway A11 (Berlin, Stettin), federal roads such as B166 and B198, as well as rail and cable routes run through the district. Expansion and new construction as well as bypasses entail compensation and replacement obligations according to the HVE.

🏘️

Settlement and commerce

Residential building and commercial area developments in Prenzlau, Schwedt, Templin and Angermünde require statutory nature conservation compensation. Property owners of arable and grassland can contribute their sites as compensation or eco-account sites.

How it works

From enquiry to monitoring

01

Contact and enquiry

Tell us your compensation requirement and the natural region. We check availability.

02

Offer and advice

A transparent offer covering measure types, scope and availability.

03

Coordination with authorities

Full coordination with the lower nature conservation authority. We handle everything.

04

Long-term monitoring

Permanent securing of the land, management and documentation across the contract term.

Neighbouring districts

Eco-points in adjoining districts

BA
District of Barnim
Southern neighbour, Schorfheide-Chorin
OB
District of Oberhavel
Western neighbour, Brandenburg
Frequently asked questions

All about eco-points
in the district of Uckermark

Uckermark District lies in natural region D03, the Uckermärk hill country, a young moraine landscape with thousands of ponds, ridge lakes, kettle bogs and old beech forests as well as the lowlands of Uecker and Randow. To the south, the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve borders. For compensation, the precise natural region and habitat allocation of the impact is decisive; greeNature determines this for your project.
Brandenburg assesses impact and compensation according to sections 13 to 15 BNatSchG in connection with the Brandenburg Nature Conservation Act through verbal argumentation according to the Guidance for implementing the impact mitigation regulation (HVE). There is no state-wide eco-points procedure. Compensation and replacement measures can be advanced via eco-accounts and land pools under the Land Pool Regulation (FPV). greeNature handles assessment, measure planning, site provision and coordination with the authority.
The responsible lower nature conservation authority is Uckermark District, located in the Agriculture, Environment and Veterinary Office, Karl-Marx-Straße 1, 17291 Prenzlau. greeNature coordinates all authority consultations for you, from measure planning through acceptance and monitoring.
The district contains the Lower Oder Valley National Park, the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve with UNESCO World Natural Heritage Grumsiner Beech Forest and Uckermärk lakes nature park, plus numerous FFH and bird protection areas of the Natura 2000 network. About 60 percent of the area is under protection. Impacts near these areas frequently trigger special species protection assessment under section 44 BNatSchG; where species are affected, advance CEF measures are required.
Typical triggers are industry and refinery in Schwedt/Oder, wind energy expansion and high-voltage grid expansion, transport projects on the A11 and federal roads, and residential and commercial development. For all these projects, greeNature plans and manages compensation and replacement measures according to the HVE.
Yes. Particularly suitable are wet and grassland areas in the Uecker and Randow lowlands, sites with ponds and small water bodies, and sites for forest conversion and hedgerow establishment. You remain the owner, receive compensation for restricted use, and can continue to manage many sites extensively. greeNature handles planning, implementation, management, monitoring and recognition as an eco-account or compensation site.
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We will promptly prepare a transparent offer with matching eco-points held in stock in the district of Uckermark.