Eco-points and compensation areas
District of Mettmann
Eco-points and compensation areas in Kreis Mettmann, assessed under the Ökokonto-Verordnung NRW and State Nature Conservation Act NRW. greeNature supports project developers and landowners in Lower Berg Land and the Rhine corridor as full-service partner for statutory nature-conservation compensation.
The District of Mettmann at a glance
Kreis Mettmann lies in the Düsseldorf administrative region between the Rhine corridor and the Bergisches Land. It encompasses the major part of the Lower Berg Land and reaches in the south-west to the Rhine terraces near Monheim am Rhein, Langenfeld and Hilden.
Naturally, the district belongs to two BfN major landscapes. The predominant eastern part ranks as Bergisches Land and Sauerland (D38) with wooded ridge tops and deeply incised stream valleys, while the western margin transitions to Lower Rhine Lowland (D35) with sand plateaux and Rhine terraces.
Ecologically defining are the near-natural watercourses Düssel and Anger with their floodplain woodland plus the extensive beech forests of the Neandertal FFH site (DE-4707-302). Neandertal nature reserve was protected in 1921 as one of Germany's earliest formally designated protected areas.
Kreis Mettmann has the highest population density of all German districts. Settlement development, transport infrastructure and large-scale limestone quarrying near Wülfrath regularly create compensation requirements under §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG and the Ökokonto-Verordnung NRW.
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D38 ›
Go to natural region D35 ›
📍 Selected municipalities
🌿 Ecological features
- Neandertal FFH site (DE-4707-302) with beech forests and Düssel floodplain woodland
- Neandertal nature reserve, since 1921 one of Germany's earliest protected areas
- Angertal nature reserve near Ratingen, one of the largest in the district
- Limestone landscape Flandersbach near Wülfrath with quarry secondary biotopes
- Near-natural watercourses Düssel and Anger in densely settled metropolitan area
- Vogelsangbach valley near Heiligenhaus and forest areas around Hugenpoet and Landsberg
- Highest population density of all German districts with correspondingly high land-use pressure
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature operates nationwide. For Kreis Mettmann, we know North Rhine-Westphalian compensation law, the Ökokonto-Verordnung NRW with its numerical assessment procedure and liaison practice with the lower nature conservation authority from ongoing project work in the Rhineland and Bergisches Land.
Typical measures in the district of Mettmann
Stream and floodplain restoration
Restoration of near-natural watercourse sections on Düssel, Anger and Schwarzbach, development of alder-ash floodplain forests and reconnection of side channels. Such measures achieve high enhancements in the Ökokonto-Verordnung NRW numerical assessment procedure.
Forest development and conversion
Conversion of structurally poor coniferous plantations to site-appropriate beech and oak mixed forests on the highlands of Lower Berg Land, permanently secured as compensation woodland.
Restoration of extraction sites
Development of secondary habitats in decalcified areas of Wülfrath limestone quarries, such as small waterbodies, steep faces and grasslands as habitat for amphibians, sand lizards and thermophilic species.
Grassland extensification
Conversion of intensively managed land on Rhine terraces to species-rich extensive grassland with adjusted mowing, supporting open-land species and insect diversity.
Species protection CEF and FCS
Advance compensation and safeguarding measures under § 44 BNatSchG, including bat roosts in forests and quarries, kingfisher steep faces plus replacement habitats for sand lizard on railway embankments and quarry edges.
Traditional orchards and habitat network
Creation of traditional orchard meadows and hedgerows between settlement bands of metropolitan area, as stepping-stone biotopes in densely populated Lower Berg Land.
Protected species in the Lower Berg Land between Rhine and Bergisches Land
Bats
The beech forests of Neandertal and disused limestone quarries provide hunting territory and winter roosts for forest and cave-dwelling species. Roost losses frequently require advance compensation and safeguarding measures (CEF) under § 44 BNatSchG.
About this species ›Kingfisher
The kingfisher breeds in near-natural sections of Düssel and Anger in bank erosion. Typical measures are creation and securing of steep faces plus structured watercourse margins.
About this species ›Amphibians of quarries
The small waterbodies of limestone quarries and stream valleys host species-rich amphibian communities. The midwife toad is characteristic of the Bergisches Land; its occurrence must be particularly examined in cases of impact.
About this species ›Sand lizard
Railway embankments, quarry edges and south-exposed slopes are habitat for sand lizard. It is a frequent target species for infrastructure and extraction projects and often requires advance replacement habitats.
About this species ›Great crested newt
The great crested newt, protected under Annex II of the FFH Directive, uses fish-free small waterbodies in the district. In cases of impact on its habitat, replacement breeding waters and suitable terrestrial habitats must be demonstrated.
About this species ›Open-land species of Rhine terraces
On the agriculturally used Rhine terraces near Monheim and Langenfeld, open-land species such as the skylark occur, for which extensively managed land and arable margins are effective measures.
About this species ›Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Limestone quarrying Wülfrath
The Flandersbach limestone works near Wülfrath rank among Europe's largest limestone extractions. Quarrying, expansion and reclamation create significant compensation and reclamation requirements.
Transport infrastructure
The densely trafficked metropolitan area with motorways A3, A44 and A46 plus expansion of S-Bahn and road networks regularly trigger compensation and replacement obligations under §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG.
Settlement and commercial development
As the district with the highest population density in Germany, Kreis Mettmann faces high land pressure. New residential and commercial areas require statutory nature-conservation compensation.
Industry and logistics
Production and logistics locations at the Rhine corridor, for example in Monheim am Rhein and Langenfeld, create compensation requirements for expansions and new establishments.
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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