Eco-points and compensation areas
City of Rostock
Eco-points from officially recognised eco-accounts, available immediately. greeNature is your nationwide full-service partner for statutory nature-conservation compensation in the independent Hanseatic and university city of Rostock, planned under the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern eco-account ordinance (ÖkoKtoVO M-V) and the LUNG's guidance on impact mitigation.
The City of Rostock at a glance
Rostock is the largest city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and, as an independent Hanseatic and university city, lies on both sides of the Unterwarnow, where the river flows as an estuary into the Baltic Sea. On the landward side, the city area is entirely enclosed by the Rostock district. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has no administrative regions, so the city reports directly to the state, and, as an independent city, it carries out the duties of the lower nature conservation authority itself.
In landscape terms, Rostock belongs mainly to the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Baltic coast (natural region D01), with sandy beaches, dunes and steep banks between Warnemünde and Markgrafenheide, and the wide estuary of the Unterwarnow and Breitling. North-east of the city lies the Rostocker Heide, at around 6,000 hectares the largest contiguous coastal forest in Germany. The southern hinterland leads into the undulating Ostmecklenburg-Vorpommersche Lehmplatten (natural region D02).
Ecologically the area is defined by the ice-age young moraine landscape, with ground-moraine plateaus, fens, Sölle and near-natural stream valleys. The Warnow estuary, the coastal flood bogs and the bogs of the Rostocker Heide are defining features. Large parts are protected under the FFH and EU Birds Directives or safeguarded as nature and landscape conservation areas.
The economy is shaped by the port, maritime industry, science and tourism. The overseas port, the expansion of residential quarters, commercial and transport land, and projects related to the energy transition regularly generate impacts whose compensation must be provided under the impact mitigation regulation of sections 13 to 15 BNatSchG and the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern eco-account ordinance (ÖkoKtoVO M-V).
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D01 ›
📍 City districts
🌿 Ecological features
- Rostocker Heide, at around 6,000 hectares the largest contiguous coastal forest in Germany, owned by the city since 1252, a landscape conservation area and the FFH site Wälder und Moore der Rostocker Heide
- NSG Heiligensee und Hütelmoor, a coastal flood bog with a restored water regime and open connection to the Baltic Sea
- NSG Radelsee and NSG Schnatermann, forest, bog and water habitats within the Rostocker Heide
- NSG Stoltera west of Warnemünde, an active steep coastline of boulder clay with coastal dynamics
- Unterwarnow and Breitling, the Warnow estuary with reed beds and shallow-water zones, an important resting and breeding ground for water birds
- Sölle and small water bodies of the young moraine landscape as spawning waters and stepping-stone habitats in the city's hinterland
- Baltic coast with beaches, dunes and coastal protection forests between Warnemünde, Diedrichshagen and Markgrafenheide
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature operates nationwide and supports compensation projects in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. We work to the requirements of the eco-account ordinance (ÖkoKtoVO M-V) and the LUNG's guidance on impact mitigation (HzE), know the practice of the lower nature conservation authority of the Hanseatic city of Rostock, and are familiar with the nature-conservation characteristics of the coast, the Warnow estuary and the Rostocker Heide. This allows compensation areas and eco-points to be allocated with legal certainty for projects in the densely built city area and its hinterland.
Typical measures in the city of Rostock
Desealing
Removal and desealing of disused port, commercial and transport land within the city area. Sealed soils are broken up, restored to a rootable state, and revegetated. This improves soil functions, infiltration and the urban climate and can be credited as compensation under the impact mitigation regulation.
Bog rewetting
Raising water levels and removing drainage ditches in coastal flood and fen bogs, such as around the Hütelmoor and the Warnow lowlands. Rewetted bogs secure rare habitats, retain water and sequester carbon.
Watercourse and floodplain restoration
Restoration of continuity, near-natural bank shaping, and reconnection of floodplains to the Warnow and urban streams. This creates steep banks, shallow water and reed beds as habitat for fish, kingfisher and amphibians.
Grassland extensification
Conversion of intensively used land in the city's hinterland into species-rich wet and salt grassland along the coast and in the river lowlands, as habitat for meadow-breeding birds and resting birds.
Coastal forest and forest conversion
Forest-edge design and conversion of conifer plantations into site-appropriate broadleaf and mixed woodland in the Rostocker Heide, complemented by old and dead wood structures as habitat for bats and cavity-nesting birds.
CEF/FCS species protection
Advance compensation measures for strictly protected species, such as replacement roosts for bats, habitats for the sand lizard on railway embankments and fallow land, and spawning waters for amphibians, planned under section 44 BNatSchG.
Protected species in the Hanseatic and university city on the Unterwarnow and the Baltic coast
Bats
The forests of the Rostocker Heide, old buildings and cellar vaults in the city centre, and avenues provide roosts and foraging grounds for several strictly protected bat species. Where roosts are affected by impacts, replacement roosts and habitat trees are typical CEF measures.
About this species ›Sand lizard
Railway embankments, slopes, dunes and fallow land within the city are habitat for the sand lizard (Annex IV FFH Directive). It is among the most frequent target species of the special species protection assessment for building and infrastructure projects.
About this species ›Amphibians of the Sölle and bogs
Sölle, coastal flood bogs and small water bodies are home to fire-bellied toad, moor frog and common toad. Newly created or restored spawning waters are proven compensation measures in the city's hinterland.
About this species ›Great crested newt
The great crested newt (Annexes II and IV of the FFH Directive) inhabits fish-free small water bodies and Sölle of the young moraine landscape. Spawning waters and structurally rich land habitats are created for it as CEF measures.
About this species ›Kingfisher
The kingfisher breeds in steep banks along near-natural sections of the Warnow and its tributaries. Bank erosion, steep faces and the restoration of watercourse sections promote its populations.
About this species ›Northern lapwing and meadow birds
Wet and coastal grassland in the Warnow lowlands are breeding and resting habitats for the northern lapwing and other meadow birds. Extensification and rewetting of grassland improve habitat quality here.
About this species ›Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Housing and urban development
Rostock is growing, and new residential quarters and densification in districts such as Südstadt, Toitenwinkel and along the Warnow waterfront trigger nature-conservation compensation obligations. greeNature provides suitable eco-points and compensation areas.
Overseas port and maritime economy
The Rostock overseas port and the maritime industry are expanding land for handling, logistics and the manufacture of offshore wind energy components. Such projects generate substantial compensation requirements, including through desealing and coastal habitat measures.
Transport infrastructure
Expansion and renewal of roads, bridges over the Warnow, cycling and rail links, and the connection to the A19 and A20 motorways in the hinterland lead to compensation and replacement obligations under the impact mitigation regulation.
Commerce and science
The university, university medicine and life-science sites, as well as new commercial and research land, require nature-conservation compensation and CEF measures for affected species where land is taken.
From enquiry to monitoring
Contact and enquiry
Tell us your compensation requirement and the natural region. We check availability.
Offer and advice
A transparent offer covering measure types, scope and availability.
Coordination with authorities
Full coordination with the lower nature conservation authority. We handle everything.
Long-term monitoring
Permanent securing of the land, management and documentation across the contract term.
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