Eco-points and compensation areas
City of Düsseldorf
Eco-points and compensation areas in the independent state capital of Düsseldorf, assessed according to the numerical assessment procedure and managed via eco-accounts under the North Rhine-Westphalia Nature Conservation Act (LNatSchG) and the North Rhine-Westphalia Eco-Account Ordinance. greeNature operates nationally and is your full-service partner for impact mitigation, species protection and CEF measures in the densely built Rhine area and its surrounding area.
The City of Düsseldorf at a glance
Düsseldorf is the independent state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia and seat of the administrative region of the same name. With approximately 217 square kilometres, about 655,000 people are distributed across 10 city districts with 50 city quarters. The Rhine runs through the city area for approximately 42 kilometres and divides it into the right-bank city centre and the left-bank city quarters around Oberkassel, Heerdt and Lörick. In terms of natural regions, Düsseldorf lies in the transition from the Lower Rhenish Lowland (D35) across the Bergian Heath Terrace of the Lower Rhenish Plain (D35) to the western offshoots of the Bergian Land (D38) in the east of the city area.
Despite the high building density, Düsseldorf possesses valuable habitats. Outstanding is the Urdenbacher Meadow in the south, with approximately 316 hectares the largest nature reserve in the city, an FFH site and one of the last regularly flooded old Rhine floodplains on the Lower Rhine. Added to this are city-near woodland areas such as Grafenberg Forest, Aaper Forest and Eller Forest, the Rhine floodplains themselves and the small flowing waters of Düssel, Schwarzbach, Kittelbach and Anger. Traditional orchards with old fruit varieties, pollard willows and wet grassland characterise the Meadow and provide habitat for, among others, the little owl.
As an economically strong metropolis, Düsseldorf is under high settlement and land pressure. New residential quarters such as the Glasmacherviertel on the former glass works site in Gerresheim, office and commercial developments at Media Harbour and in Seestern, the expansion of Reisholz Rhine Harbour and transport and infrastructure projects regularly lead to impacts on nature and landscape. Under §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG, avoidable impacts must be prevented and unavoidable impacts must be compensated or replaced. Because suitable land in the densely built city is limited, part of the compensation is carried out naturally region-appropriately in the surrounding area.
The key regulations in Düsseldorf are the North Rhine-Westphalia Nature Conservation Act (LNatSchG NRW) and the North Rhine-Westphalia Eco-Account Ordinance. The compensation requirement is determined using the state's numerical assessment procedure based on biotope value points (eco-points), and advance measures can be held in reserve as an eco-account. As an independent city, Düsseldorf assumes the duties of the lower nature conservation authority itself. greeNature closely coordinates each measure with this authority and accompanies project developers from assessment through recognition.
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D35 ›
Go to natural region D38 ›
📍 City districts
🌿 Ecological features
- Urdenbacher Meadow, with approximately 316 hectares the largest nature reserve in the city and FFH site within the Natura 2000 network
- One of the last regularly flooded old Rhine floodplains on the Lower Rhine with pollard willows, traditional orchards and valuable wet grassland
- Revitalisation of the Urdenbach Old Rhine as a matter of supra-regional importance for water bodies and floodplains
- Approximately 42 kilometres of Rhine course in the city area with floodplains, oxbows and the Himmelgeist Rhine bow
- City-near woodland areas of Grafenberg Forest, Aaper Forest and Eller Forest as habitat and recreational space
- Natural region transition from the Lower Rhenish Lowland across the Bergian Heath Terrace to the Bergian Land
- High settlement density, thereby creating a significant proportion of the compensation requirement for land in the surrounding area
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature operates nationally for project developers, municipalities and planning offices and also manages compensation projects in the state capital Düsseldorf and its surrounding area. We know the numerical assessment 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. For impacts in the densely built Rhine area, we develop precisely tailored compensation, replacement and CEF measures, from unsealing and inner development across the restoration of Düssel, Schwarzbach and Rhine floodplains to the enhancement of grassland and forest in the naturally appropriate surroundings of natural regions D35, D35 and D38.
Typical measures in the city of Düsseldorf
Unsealing and inner development
Removal of sealed land on brownfields, conversion and yard sites and their conversion into permeable, greened locations. Especially in the densely built city area, unsealing is an effective measure that simultaneously improves soil, water balance and urban climate.
Water body restoration on Düssel and secondary streams
Removal of bank reinforcement, naturally-oriented redesign and reconnection of floodplains to Düssel, Schwarzbach, Kittelbach and Anger. This creates shallow water zones, steep banks and water margins as habitat for kingfisher, fish and amphibians.
Rhine floodplain and old Rhine enhancement
Reconnection of oxbows, promotion of floodplain dynamics and development of floodplain forest and wet grassland in the surroundings of Urdenbacher Meadow and Himmelgeist Rhine bow. Such measures combine flood retention with the protection of floodplain-typical habitats.
Grassland extensification in the surrounding area
Conversion of intensively used arable and grassland into species-rich extensively managed grassland with adjusted cutting regimes or grazing. Naturally region-appropriate areas in the surrounding area compensate for impacts for which no suitable space is available in the city.
City-near forest development
Conversion of structure-poor stands into site-appropriate broadleaf and mixed forests in Grafenberg Forest, Aaper Forest and Eller Forest and promotion of old and dead wood, woodland edges and traditional orchards. This strengthens habitat networks and climate resilience in the settlement area.
Species protection CEF and FCS
Advance and population-supporting measures under § 44 and § 45 BNatSchG, such as bat roosts on buildings, substitute habitats for the sand lizard on railway embankments and brownfields, kingfisher steep banks and sunny substitute spawning waters for amphibians.
Protected species in the State capital on the Rhine
Kingfisher on Düssel and Rhine floodplains
Naturally-oriented bank sections with steep banks provide the strictly protected kingfisher with breeding sites on Düssel, Schwarzbach and in the Rhine floodplains. Steep bank modelling and bank restoration belong to the typical CEF measures in water body impacts.
About this species ›Bats in city and woodland
Common pipistrelle, serotine bat and other species use old buildings, park trees 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 railway embankments and brownfields
On slopes, railway embankments and industrial brownfields in the city area, the sand lizard is a frequent target species in construction and infrastructure projects. Substitute habitats with sunning, egg-laying and shelter sites are standard in species protection compensation.
About this species ›Amphibians in floodplains and small water bodies
Great crested newt, natterjack toad and other amphibians inhabit the flood furrows, oxbows and small water bodies of the Rhine floodplain and Urdenbacher Meadow. Newly created, sunny spawning waters in spatial proximity secure their breeding sites during construction projects.
About this species ›Northern lapwing and meadow-breeding birds in wet grassland
The wet grassland of Urdenbacher Meadow and the Rhine floodplains provides habitat for northern lapwing and other meadow-breeding birds. Rewetting and extensive wet meadow management are the most effective compensation measures here.
About this species ›Little owl in the traditional orchard landscape
In the old traditional orchards and pollard tree stands of Urdenbacher Meadow, the little owl breeds in tree cavities. The conservation and creation of traditional orchards, pollard trees and extensive grassland secure its occurrences at the city's edge.
Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Housing and new quarters
Large residential projects such as the Glasmacherviertel on the former glass works site in Gerresheim with approximately 1,200 residential units and other district developments lead to soil sealing and require nature conservation compensation, increasingly provided through eco-accounts.
Commerce, offices and harbour
Office and commercial developments at Media Harbour and in Seestern as well as the planned expansion of Reisholz Rhine Harbour impact soil, banks and green spaces and trigger compensation and replacement obligations, which are assessed using the numerical procedure.
Traffic and infrastructure
Expansion of urban rail and Rhine rail, road and bridge projects, cycle paths and measures at Düsseldorf Airport regularly trigger impacts that require species protection assessment and often CEF measures.
Climate adaptation and flood protection
Climate adaptation projects, rainwater management and Rhine flood prevention can be combined with ecological enhancement, for example through unsealing, water body restoration and the reactivation of flood storage areas in the floodplain.
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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