Eco-points and compensation areas
District of Hochsauerlandkreis
Eco-points and compensation areas in Hochsauerlandkreis, legally sound under the State Nature Conservation Act NRW and the Ökokonto-Verordnung. greeNature undertakes compensation in Sauerland and Rothaar Mountains as full-service.
The District of Hochsauerlandkreis at a glance
At around 1,960 km², Hochsauerlandkreis is the largest district by area in North Rhine-Westphalia and is located in the Arnsberg administrative region in the South Bergland.
Characteristic are extensive mid-altitude forests, mountain meadows, reservoirs and the source regions of the Ruhr and Lenne. Naturally, the district belongs to the Bergisches Land and Sauerland (D38).
Compensation requirements arise mainly from wind energy expansion on the uplands, transport and commercial projects and measures in water management.
Responsible for impact mitigation regulation and species protection is the lower nature conservation authority of Hochsauerlandkreis, seated in the district town Meschede.
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D38 ›
📍 Selected municipalities
🌿 Ecological features
- Largest district by area in North Rhine-Westphalia with very high forest coverage in Sauerland and Rothaar Mountains.
- The Langenberg near Niedersfeld is, at 843 m, the highest elevation in North Rhine-Westphalia, followed by the Kahler Asten at 841 m.
- Storm Kyrill (2007) and the subsequent bark beetle calamity destroyed large spruce areas; extensive reforestation is ongoing.
- Numerous FFH sites and the EU bird protection site Medebacher Bucht lie in the district, mostly in the Sauerland-Rothaargebirge nature reserve.
- Reservoirs such as Hennesee and Sorpesee serve drinking water supply, flood control and power generation.
- On the forest-rich uplands, wind energy expansion is a major driver of impacts and species protection assessment.
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature supports project developers in Hochsauerlandkreis with statutory nature-conservation compensation under §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG and the State Nature Conservation Act NRW. We provide eco-points from verified eco-accounts, develop compensation land in the Bergisches Land and Sauerland natural region and undertake planning, implementation, monitoring and liaison with the lower nature conservation authority in Meschede. Assessment follows the numerical biotope-value procedure customary in North Rhine-Westphalia, so impact and compensation are traceable in value points.
Typical measures in the district of Hochsauerlandkreis
Forest conversion to near-natural mixed forests
Conversion of damaged spruce stands to site-appropriate broadleaf and mixed forests, to develop climate-stable and species-rich forests following storm and bark beetle.
Watercourse restoration
Restoration of near-natural watercourse courses and ecological connectivity on Ruhr, Lenne and Diemel, supplemented by floodplain and bank-zone development.
Conservation and management of mountain meadows
Extensive management and restoration of species-rich mountain and hay meadows, which rank among characteristic and sharply declining habitats of Sauerland.
Small waterbodies and wetland habitats
Creation of pools, spring swamps and wet grassland to promote amphibians and wetland-type species in mid-altitude locations.
Forest edges, hedgerows and margins
Development of tiered forest edges, hedgerows and flower margins for habitat networking and as refuge for hazel dormouse, insects and open-land species.
Bristle-grass meadows and heathland
Management and development of bristle-grass meadows and dwarf shrub heathland on lean sites, which become overgrown and lost without regular use.
Protected species in the Sauerland and Rothaar Mountains
Black stork
The black stork breeds in quiet, old forest stands of the Arnsberger Wald and Rothaar Mountains and responds sensitively to disturbance around its nests.
About this species ›European wildcat
The European wildcat is expanding through Rothaar Mountains and Arnsberger Wald and depends on structure-rich, well-networked forests with cover.
About this species ›Bats
Bechstein's bat, barbastelle and greater mouse-eared bat use old broadleaf forests, caves and mine shafts in the district and are strictly protected under the FFH Directive.
About this species ›Hazel dormouse
The hazel dormouse lives in species-rich forest edges, hedgerows and coppice woodland and, as an Annex IV FFH species, requires particular consideration in cases of impact.
About this species ›Amphibians
Fire salamander, midwife toad and other amphibians inhabit spring-fed streams and small waterbodies of mid-altitude locations and benefit from newly created breeding ponds.
About this species ›Skylark
In the open land of the Medebacher Bucht breed skylark, red-backed shrike and whinchat. The site is designated as an EU bird protection site.
About this species ›Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Wind energy expansion on the uplands
New construction and repowering of wind parks on the forest-rich heights trigger impacts and species protection assessment for bats, red kite and black stork.
Road and transport projects
New construction and expansion of federal and state roads plus town bypasses require compensation for land loss and habitat fragmentation.
Commercial and industrial areas
As part of the South Westphalia industrial region, the district designates new commercial and industrial land, which entails assessed compensation.
Tourism and water management
Expansion of leisure and winter sports infrastructure plus measures on reservoirs and pipes create compensation requirements in sensitive landscapes.
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.
Eco-points in adjoining districts
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in the district of Hochsauerlandkreis
Request eco-points in the district of Hochsauerlandkreis
We will promptly prepare a transparent offer with matching eco-points held in stock in the district of Hochsauerlandkreis.