Eco-points and compensation areas
City of Bochum
Eco-points and compensation areas for the independent city of Bochum, assessed according to the numerical biotope value procedure and managed via eco-accounts under the North Rhine-Westphalia Eco-Account Ordinance and § 32 LNatSchG NRW. greeNature operates nationally and is your full-service partner for impact mitigation, species protection and CEF measures in central Ruhr area.
The City of Bochum at a glance
Bochum is an independent city in the administrative region of Arnsberg and lies in the central Ruhr area between Emscher in the north and Ruhr in the south. With approximately 145.4 square kilometres, about 365,000 people live there. The city area is divided into six city districts (Centre, Wattenscheid, North, East, South and South-west) and includes Wattenscheid, a large city that was incorporated in 1975.
In terms of natural regions, Bochum lies in a transition. The predominant, northern part of the city area belongs to the Westphalian Bay (BfN natural region D34), while the south with the incised Ruhr valley already mediates to the South Bergian Upland (D38) at the north edge of the Rhenish Slate Mountains. The Ruhr valley with Kemnade Lake, larger city-near forests such as Weitmar Wood and a dense network of small stream valleys are characteristic.
Despite the dense settlement, Bochum is rich in green. In addition to Ruhr floodplain and stream valleys, a species-rich industrial nature has developed on former pit, railway and industrial sites, which is of high significance for species such as sand lizard and pioneer habitats. Such brownfields are often targets of inner development and brownfield recycling.
After profound structural change from coal and steel, Bochum today is a location for science, healthcare and technology, including Ruhr University and the Mark 51°7 Technology Campus on the former Opel site. Inner development, commercial and transport projects regularly trigger impacts on nature and landscape. Under §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG, unavoidable impacts must be compensated or replaced, assessed via the numerical biotope value procedure and secured via eco-accounts under the North Rhine-Westphalia Eco-Account Ordinance and § 32 LNatSchG NRW.
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D34 ›
Go to natural region D38 ›
📍 City districts
🌿 Ecological features
- Ruhr floodplain Stiepel nature reserve, the largest nature reserve in Bochum's city area on the Ruhr
- Weitmar Wood, extensive city-near forest area in south Bochum
- Kemnade Lake, reservoir in Ruhr valley with significance for recreation and water body habitats
- Industrial nature on former pit, railway and industrial brownfields, important habitat among other things for sand lizard
- Transition between Westphalian Bay (D34) and South Bergian Upland (D38) along Ruhr valley
- Stream valleys such as Ölbach valley as stepping stones in inner-city habitat networks
- Ruhr as a supra-regionally significant water body axis with adjacent FFH sites in Ruhr valley
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature operates nationally and manages compensation projects also in the Ruhr area. We know the numerical biotope value procedure applicable in North Rhine-Westphalia, the requirements of the North Rhine-Westphalia Eco-Account Ordinance and coordination with the lower nature conservation authority of the City of Bochum. For impacts in the densely settled city area, we develop precisely tailored compensation, replacement and CEF measures, from unsealing and brownfield recycling across the enhancement of Ruhr floodplain and stream valleys to species protection measures on industrial brownfields in the transition area between natural regions D34 and D38.
Typical measures in the city of Bochum
Unsealing and brownfield recycling
Removal of sealed land on former industrial, commercial and railway sites and their development into greened, ecologically valuable locations. In the densely built city area, unsealing is a particularly effective enhancement with high gains in biotope value points.
Water body and floodplain restoration
Naturally-oriented development of Ruhr, Ölbach and other streams through removal of culverts and bank reinforcement, creation of shallow water zones and floodplain structures. This creates habitats for kingfisher, fish and amphibians and flood water retention improves.
Grassland and floodplain enhancement in Ruhr valley
Conversion of intensively used land into species-rich extensively managed grassland with adjusted cutting regimes and enhancement of floodplain meadows along Ruhr. Such areas are habitat for meadow-breeding birds and insects and ecologically enhance the landscape.
Forest development and forest conversion
Naturally-oriented conversion of city-near forests such as Weitmar Wood towards site-appropriate broadleaf and mixed forests of beech, oak and hornbeam with promotion of old and dead wood. This strengthens forest habitats and climate adaptation in the built-up area.
Species protection CEF and FCS
Advance and population-supporting measures under § 44 and § 45 BNatSchG, such as substitute habitats for sand lizard on industrial brownfields and railway embankments, bat roosts during demolition and renovation and sunny substitute spawning waters for amphibians and great crested newt.
Urban green, traditional orchards and habitat networks
Creation and management of hedgerows, copses, traditional orchards and small water bodies to network inner-city green areas, stream valleys and forest areas. Such structures create stepping-stone habitats for bats, birds and insects in the metropolitan area.
Protected species in the Central Ruhr area between Emscher and Ruhr
Kingfisher on the Ruhr
Naturally-oriented bank sections with steep banks on Ruhr and Kemnade Lake provide the strictly protected kingfisher with breeding sites. In water body impacts, steep bank modelling and bank restoration are typical CEF measures.
About this species ›Bats in park and forest
Common pipistrelle, serotine bat and water bat use buildings, old trees, parks and city-near forests as roosts and hunting grounds. All species are strictly protected (Annex IV FFH Directive), substitute roosts are required as a CEF measure during demolition and renovation.
About this species ›Sand lizard on industrial brownfields
On former pit, railway and industrial sites as well as on slopes and railway embankments, the sand lizard is a frequent target species in settlement and infrastructure projects. Substitute habitats with sunning, egg-laying and shelter sites are standard in species protection compensation.
About this species ›Great crested newt in small water bodies
The strictly protected under Annex IV of the FFH Directive great crested newt inhabits structured still water bodies in stream valleys and on brownfields. Newly created, sunny and fish-free spawning waters in spatial proximity secure its breeding sites during construction projects.
About this species ›Amphibians in stream valleys and brownfields
Common toad, grass frog and the pioneer-site specialist natterjack toad inhabit small water bodies, water-filled depressions and brownfield sites in the city. Sunny substitute spawning waters and terrestrial habitats are effective compensation measures in impacts.
About this species ›Hazel dormouse in city-near forests
The strictly protected hazel dormouse may occur in larger forest areas such as Weitmar Wood and on structured forest edges. The conservation of graded, woody forest margins and linking structures secure its habitats in impacts on the forest environment.
About this species ›Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Housing and inner development
New residential quarters and densification in existing stock, such as around Ostpark and on inner-city brownfields, lead to soil sealing and require nature conservation compensation. Landowners in the surrounding area can benefit as land providers.
Commerce and technology campus
The development of commercial and technology sites, particularly the Mark 51°7 Campus on the former Opel site, triggers impacts and requires compensation, assessed via the numerical biotope value procedure.
Traffic and cycle rapid routes
Expansion and conversion of roads, railway lines and the expansion of cycling and cycle rapid routes in the Ruhr area impact slopes, railway verges and vegetation and trigger compensation and replacement obligations as well as species protection assessments.
Infrastructure and climate adaptation
The ecological conversion of water systems, sewer networks and rainwater management as well as climate adaptation measures in urban areas combine technical projects with ecological enhancement and create opportunities for accompanying compensation.
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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