Eco-points and compensation areas
District of Harburg
Eco-points and compensation areas in Harburg district, assessed using the Lower Saxon habitat value procedure. greeNature is your nationwide full-service partner for compensation between the Lüneburg Heath, the Geest and the Elbe marshland.
The District of Harburg at a glance
Harburg district lies in Lower Saxony immediately south of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg and belongs to the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The district seat is Winsen (Luhe), the largest town is Buchholz in der Nordheide, and the most populous municipality is Seevetal. Around 266,000 people live across roughly 1,248 km². Administrative regions have not existed in Lower Saxony since 2004.
In landscape terms, the district is divided into three major natural regions. To the south, the Lüneburg Heath (D28) extends in with sand heaths, bogs and pine forests, the west belongs to the Stade Geest (D27) with its nutrient-poor sandy soils, and in the north the Lower Elbe Lowland (Elbe marshland, D24), with fertile marsh grassland, accompanies the course of the Elbe. The highest point is the Hülsenberg at around 155 metres.
Ecologically, the district is heavily shaped by the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve, which at around 10,132 hectares accounts for the largest part of the 25 nature reserves in total and lies within the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park. More than 14 FFH sites and four EU special protection areas are designated as Natura 2000 areas, including the Lüneburg Heath, the tidal Elbe between Geesthacht and Hamburg, the Seeve, the Wümme lowland, and the mouse-eared bat maternity roost area in the Elbe catchment.
Economically, the district functions as a growing residential and commercial location in Hamburg's affluent commuter belt. The Maschen marshalling yard, the A1, A7, A26 and A39 motorways, and numerous urban development plans generate a continuous need for compensation and replacement. Agriculture and sand and gravel extraction on the Geest add to this. All impacts must be compensated for under the impact mitigation regulation of §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG and Lower Saxon nature conservation law (NAGBNatSchG).
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D28 ›
Go to natural region D27 ›
📍 Selected municipalities
🌿 Ecological features
- Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve (around 10,132 ha within the district), part of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Park
- Lüneburg Heath FFH site and EU special protection area (V24), with heathland, bogs and forests
- The tidal Elbe, with the FFH sites Elbe between Geesthacht and Hamburg and Elbeniederung, as well as the Elbe marshland as habitat for meadow-breeding birds
- The Seeve, Luhe, Este and Wümme watercourses, some with FFH status and near-natural bank sections
- Bogs such as the Große Moor near Wistedt and Kauers Wittmoor as a refuge for bog-typical species
- Mouse-eared bat maternity roost area in the Elbe catchment (FFH 231), significant for strictly protected bats
- The Maschen marshalling yard and the motorway interchanges in the Hamburg area as spatial focal points of impact activity
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature operates nationwide and also manages compensation projects in Harburg district. We work according to the Lower Saxon habitat value procedure, know the NLWKN guidance documents, and coordinate with the lower nature conservation authority in Winsen (Luhe). We take into account the full range of natural regions, from the heath through the Geest to the Elbe marshland, when selecting suitable land and measures.
Typical measures in the district of Harburg
Bog restoration and rewetting
Removal of drainage ditches and raising water levels in bogs such as the Große Moor near Wistedt and Kauers Wittmoor. Such measures secure bog habitats, sequester carbon and create habitats for bog-typical species.
Heathland management and sandy calcareous grassland
Maintaining and developing the sand heaths through scrub removal, grazing with Heidschnucke sheep, mowing and sod-cutting. This management keeps the Calluna heaths of the Lüneburg Heath open and promotes warmth- and drought-loving species of nutrient-poor sites.
Watercourse and floodplain restoration
Removal of bank reinforcement, reconnection of oxbows, and allowing self-dynamic development on the Seeve, Luhe, Este and Wümme. This creates steep banks, gravel banks and riparian woodland as habitat for the kingfisher, fish and amphibians.
Extensifying Elbe marshland grassland
Conversion of intensively used marsh meadows into extensively managed wet grassland with shallow pools, flood hollows and ditch-edge strips. These areas are habitat for meadow-breeding birds such as the northern lapwing and black-tailed godwit along the Elbe.
Forest development and dead wood
Site-appropriate conversion of structurally poor stands, along with promoting old and dead wood, for example in the beech forests of the Rosengarten and the birch-oak forests of the Geest. This enhances forest habitats and connects them.
CEF and FCS species protection
Replacement roosts for bats, steep banks for the kingfisher, replacement habitats for the sand lizard, and new spawning waters for amphibians, each as an advance CEF measure or population-supporting FCS measure under § 44 and § 45 BNatSchG.
Protected species in the Lüneburg Heath and Elbe marshland south of Hamburg
Bats in the Elbe catchment
Greater mouse-eared bats and other species use the forests and buildings in the district as hunting and roosting habitat, documented in the greater mouse-eared bat maternity roost area (Natura 2000 site FFH 231). The species are strictly protected (Annex II and IV of the Habitats Directive). Replacement roosts as a CEF measure are required during demolition and renovation.
About this species ›Kingfisher on the Seeve, Luhe and Elbe
Natural riverbanks with steep banks provide the strictly protected kingfisher with breeding sites. Where impacts affect waterbodies, such as bridge or bank construction, steep bank modelling and riverbank restoration are typical CEF measures.
About this species ›Sand lizard on heath and geest
Sandy slopes, railway embankments and heathland margins are habitat for the sand lizard (Annex IV of the Habitats Directive). For construction and infrastructure projects, capture and relocation, plus the creation of sunny replacement habitats made of sand, stone and dead wood are proven measures.
About this species ›Great crested newt in moorland and small waterbodies
The great crested newt (Annex II and IV of the Habitats Directive) requires larger, fish-free ponds with rich underwater vegetation and structurally diverse terrestrial habitats. Creation and networking of suitable breeding waters are effective CEF and FCS measures.
About this species ›Northern lapwing in the Elbmarsh
The moist marsh grassland of the Elbe lowlands is breeding habitat for the northern lapwing and other meadow birds. Extensification, seasonal flooding features and shallow pools, plus nest and breeding site protection secure and support populations of these endangered open-land species.
About this species ›Hazel dormouse in geest and beech forests
The hazel dormouse (Annex IV of the Habitats Directive) lives in structurally diverse forests with dense shrub layers, such as in the beech forests of the Rosengarten and the geest woodlands. Upgrading of the shrub layer and networking of woody habitats are typical protection measures.
About this species ›Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Transport and infrastructure
The expansion of motorways such as the A26 and A39, operation and expansion of the Maschen marshalling yard, bypass routes, and rail expansion towards Hamburg regularly trigger compensation and replacement obligations under the impact mitigation regulation. greeNature supports such projects from assessment through implementation.
Settlement and commerce (Hamburg metropolitan area)
As a growing residential and commercial location in the Hamburg hinterland, the district regularly designates new building areas, such as in Buchholz, Seevetal, Neu Wulmstorf and Winsen. These land-use planning measures require nature conservation compensation, which can be provided through eco-account areas.
Energy and grid expansion
Utility-scale photovoltaic plants on geest locations, wind energy installations and the expansion of extra-high voltage transmission lines through Lower Saxony create compensation requirements and can trigger species protection CEF and FCS measures for birds of prey and bats.
Mineral extraction on the geest
Sand and gravel extraction, and soil mining on the geest locations impact soil and habitats. Reclamation, development of secondary biotopes and nature conservation replacement are standard components of permitting.
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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