Eco-points and compensation areas
District of Ostholstein
Eco-points and compensation land in East Holstein District, located in natural region D23 (Schleswig-Holstein Hilly Land) on the Baltic Sea. greeNature accompanies project developers nationwide in the impact mitigation regulation according to BNatSchG and the Eco-Account Ordinance Schleswig-Holstein, from land search through measure planning to official recognition.
The District of Ostholstein at a glance
East Holstein District is located in eastern Schleswig-Holstein directly on the Baltic Sea and encompasses the Wagrien peninsula and Fehmarn island. District seat and administrative centre is Eutin. Since Schleswig-Holstein is not divided into administrative regions, the district is directly subordinate to the state level. In the west the district area extends into the lake-rich Holstein Switzerland, in the east into the varied coastal landscape of Lübeck and Kiel Bays.
Landscape belongs to Young moraine land of the Weichsel ice age. Ground and end moraines, meltwater channels and numerous lakes shaped the undulating relief of the Baltic Ridge with Bungsberg near Schönwalde (168 m) as Schleswig-Holstein's highest elevation. On the Baltic coast, steep banks, beach ridges, beach lakes and spits characterise the picture, while fertile, loamy moraine soils in the interior are intensively used as arable and grassland.
Ecologically, the district is of high significance. The Holstein Switzerland Nature Park with its lakes, old beech forests and small water bodies meets in the east with European protected coastal habitats. This includes the FFH site Coastal strip west and north Fehmarn, the EU bird protection area East Kiel Bay and the NABU Water Bird Reserve Wallnau on Fehmarn, internationally important staging and breeding area. Characteristic species are white-tailed eagle, the European strictly protected red-bellied toad and numerous wading and coastal birds.
Economically, East Holstein is strongly shaped by tourism on the Baltic seaside resorts and by agriculture and food industry. The currently largest project is the Fixed Fehmarn Belt crossing with its hinterland connection, which creates substantial compensation requirements on road and rail. For impacts, the nature conservation impact mitigation regulation under §§ 13 to 15 BNatSchG in conjunction with the State Nature Conservation Act (LNatSchG SH) applies. Compensation is handled via the eco-account according to the Eco-Account Ordinance Schleswig-Holstein and the biotope valuation procedure, supplemented by species protection requirements of § 44 BNatSchG.
🗺️ Associated natural regions
Go to natural region D23 ›
📍 Selected municipalities
🌿 Ecological features
- Fixed Fehmarn Belt crossing with hinterland connection as largest infrastructure project in the region with substantial compensation requirements
- Holstein Switzerland Nature Park with Great Eutin Lake, Kellersee and a multitude of glacial lakes
- Fehmarn island with the FFH site Coastal strip west and north Fehmarn and the nature conservation area Grüner Brink
- EU bird protection area East Kiel Bay along the Baltic coast
- NABU Water Bird Reserve Wallnau on Fehmarn as internationally important staging and breeding area
- Bungsberg near Schönwalde as Schleswig-Holstein's highest elevation (168 m)
- Knick landscape (hedgerows) as shaping and legally protected biotope
✅ greeNature on the ground
greeNature operates nationwide and knows the nature conservation requirements in Schleswig-Holstein, from the lower nature conservation authority of East Holstein District in Eutin to the State Office for Environment. In natural region D23, we accompany project developers in land securing, measure planning according to the Eco-Account Ordinance Schleswig-Holstein and recognition of eco-points as precautionary compensation. Particularly in the vicinity of the Fixed Fehmarn Belt crossing and growing coastal resorts, we coordinate measures so they fit the natural region and can be coordinated with the authority.
Typical measures in the district of Ostholstein
Knick creation and management
Restoration and proper management of hedgerows, the shaping and legally protected landscape element of Schleswig-Holstein. Knicks possess high biotope value and connect habitats in Wagrien's arable landscape.
Small water bodies and amphibian pools
Creation and optimisation of sunny still water bodies as breeding habitat for red-bellied toad and great crested newt. Such water bodies are suitable as precautionary compensation measure (CEF) under § 44 BNatSchG.
Coastal and beach habitats
Development and stabilisation of salt marshes, beach ridges and beach lakes along the Baltic coast, creating breeding and staging habitats for coastal birds and promoting near-natural coastal dynamics.
Grassland extensification
Conversion of intensively used land into species-rich wet and marshy grassland in lake and coastal lowlands as habitat for meadow-breeding birds such as northern lapwing.
Water and lake shore restoration
Development of near-natural flowing waters and lake shores with riparian strips and steep banks, providing structurally rich habitats particularly for kingfisher.
Species protection CEF and FCS
Tailored prevention and compensation measures, such as bat roosts, hazel dormouse networking in knicks and habitat protection for strictly protected species under § 44 and § 45 BNatSchG.
Protected species in the Wagrien and Holstein Switzerland on the Baltic Sea
Red-bellied toad
Characteristic, highly endangered amphibian species of East Holstein small water bodies and knick landscape, strictly protected European under FFH Annex IV.
About this species ›Great crested newt
Germany's largest native newt, dependent on fish-free, well-lit small water bodies and species of FFH Annexes II and IV, frequently subject of CEF measures.
About this species ›Northern lapwing
Meadow-breeding bird of wet grassland lowlands and coastal pastures. Extensification and re-wetting of grassland secure its breeding sites during impacts on open landscape.
About this species ›Kingfisher
Nests on steep banks of near-natural flowing waters and lakes and benefits from water restoration and structurally rich shore areas in Holstein Switzerland.
About this species ›Hazel dormouse
Nocturnal dormouse of knicks, woodland and forest edges, dependent on continuous woodland structures and strictly protected under FFH Annex IV.
About this species ›Bats
Species such as pond and brown long-eared bat hunt over lakes, knicks and forest edges and require roosts and networked guiding structures, replaced as CEF measures.
About this species ›Which projects trigger a compensation obligation?
Fixed Fehmarn Belt crossing and hinterland connection
The Baltic tunnel between Fehmarn and Denmark as well as expansion of Lübeck-Puttgarden railway line and B 207 with new Fehmarn Sound crossing broadly impact nature and landscape and trigger extensive compensation and replacement measures.
Tourism and settlement development on the coast
Residential and holiday construction and infrastructure in Baltic resorts Grömitz, Scharbeutz, Timmendorfer Strand and Heiligenhafen lead to land consumption that must be compensated under nature conservation law.
Renewable energies
Wind energy on moraine heights and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems on arable sites require compensation and species protection measures, such as for bats and open land birds.
Agriculture and water management
Land consolidation, coastal and flood protection and water body expansion in intensively used moraine and coastal lowlands regularly create compensation obligations.
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
All about eco-points
in the district of Ostholstein
Request eco-points in the district of Ostholstein
We will promptly prepare a transparent offer with matching eco-points held in stock in the district of Ostholstein.