56. Annual Report 2024
Period of the Report: 01.10.2023 – 30.09.2024
State: Federal Republic of Germany
Name of the Area: Lüneburg Heath, (Lüneburger Heide)
Certifications or national/
International designations Nature reserve area (LÜ002)
FFH- Area (Nr.70)
Bird- Saving Area number (V 24)
European Diploma for protected areas
(DE940003)
Central authority concerned:
Niedersächsisches Umweltministerium
· Archivstr. 2
· 30169 Hannover
· Tel: 49 (511) 1203549
Fax: 49 (511) 120993534
Authority responsible for its management
VNP Stiftung Naturschutzpark Lüneburger Heide (VNP)
Niederhaverbeck 7
29646 Bispingen
Tel: 49 (5198) 98243-0
Fax: 49 (5198) 98243-61
E-mail: [email protected]
http: www.stiftung-naturschutzpark.de
Conditions: List here all conditions which were attached to the award or the renewal of the European Diploma. Explain either how the conditions have been totally complied with or detail the progress in complying with the conditions. Please also indicate any unresolved difficulties that you have encountered.
There were no conditions attached to the renewal of the European Diploma (see Resolution CM/ResDip(2023)3.
Recommendations: List here all recommendations which were attached to the award or the renewal of the European Diploma. Explain either how the recommendations have been totally complied with or detail the progress in complying with the recommendations. Please also indicate any unresolved difficulties that you have encountered.
1. further continue reducing the concession of ground-water extraction and technically and quantitatively co-ordinate with the activities and infrastructures of Wasserwerke Hamburg ground-water extraction for irrigation on farmland; permanently monitor the ground-water situation of the entire Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve using a ground-water monitoring network evaluating changes in the eco-hydrological situation due to water extraction and climate change (changes in seasonality of rainfall and atmospheric humidity); use of ground-water modelling is recommended to simulate the impact of all factors possibly influencing the ground-water level, the surface waters including streams, the different types of vegetation including forests, the biotopes of red-list species and the natural dynamics of the whole ecosystem;
Since 2019, there has been a legal dispute between Hamburg Wasser, the regional waterworks, and the administration of the Harburg district over the delivery volumes for annual groundwater extraction. There will be no decision in 2024 either. In 2024, a working group was founded by the administration of Harburg district, Hamburg Wasser waterworks and politicians. It is intended to defuse the long-standing dispute over the extraction of groundwater in the Nordheide. The working group was unable to achieve any constructive results at two meetings. The representatives of nature conservation groups have now even left the working group.
In 2024, nitrate values were measured on seven test areas in the northern part of Lüneburg Heath nature reserve and surrounding areas. In 2024, an average value of 40 mg NO3/l was found. In the last reference year 2021, the nitrate value was much higher, with 77 mg NO3/l.
The long-term average rainfall in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve is around 850 mm/a. Over the last 10 years, annual rainfall has fluctuated greatly, with significant impacts on biotopes. After several years of severe drought numerous ponds and streams had dried up. In 2023, annual rainfall was exceptionally high. Some dry ponds and streams have water again, at least temporarily.
Figure 1: Precipitation in Lüneburger Heide nature reserve 2014-2023
2. strengthen political recognition and increase the structural funding of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve beyond the local level and continue increasing the public funding to the same level as that provided to federal nature parks; secure funding for a permanent group of employed rangers (Naturwacht);
The Harburg district has employed four “Naturwächter” /rangers since 2023. The rangers work in the district's nature reserves, but not in NSG Lüneburger Heide. There are still no rangers in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve who are paid by public authorities. VNP employs rangers part-time and pays them from its own resources.
3. continue ensuring appropriate funding for the rearing and maintenance of the grey-horned “Heidschnucke” (grau gehörnte Heidschnucke) and of the Dülmen wild horses (Dülmener Wildpferde) by Lower Saxony and the Federal Republic;
There is still no public funding for the highly endangered rare breed “Dülmener Pferd” in Lower Saxony.
4. implement the broad corridors in woodlands meant to link open heathland habitat, as foreseen in the management plan of the Natura 2000 sites overlapping with the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve; assess the possibility of creating suitable ecological corridors between the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve and the black grouse biotopes outside the reserve;
VNP is responsible for the development of around 700 hectares of ecological corridors between heath and forest. In 2023/24, VNP maintained around 4 km of forest edges and further developed them in accordance with nature conservation goals. In the Osterheide area, the outer edges of forests were thinned out. In Mehningen, in the north of the NSG, the inner edges of forests were maintained. Softwoods were felled and young oak trees were planted.
In addition to the development of habitat corridors, further measures to protect black grouse are urgently needed.
The black grouse population of the Lüneburg Heath is now the only long-term viable population outside the Alps in Central Europe (FFH-Managementplan 2022). The following diagram shows the development of the black grouse population in Lüneburger Heide nature reserve since 1990.
Figure 2: Black grouse population in Lüneburger Heide nature reserve since 1990, red females, blue males
Predators, in particular hawks, foxes and martens, pose a great danger to the very small population of the remaining black grouse in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve. Hunting predators is therefore an important component in the area management. VNP has employed a professional hunter as part of the black grouse management. Hunting of predators is based on scientific findings.
From 2020 – 2023 “Institute for Wildlife Science of Hanover Veterinary University” (ITAW) carried out a research project about “Occurrence and spatial use of black grouse predators in the Lüneburg Heath”. The final report of this research project is not yet available.
The Nature Conservation Agency of Lower Saxony (NNA) in cooperation with ITAW is currently working on a new conservation program for Black Grouse. The development of the action plan is planned for the period 2024 – 2025.
5. pursue the restoration of streams and associated wetland biotopes and buffer strips; maintain the efforts to safeguard the diversity of typical landscapes associated with the historical “heidepotstalsysteem” (deep stable culture, so-called “Heidebauernwirtschaft”); further prepare the ongoing and future management projects in light of historical agro-pastoral land-use habits; develop modern, efficient and effective schemes to mimic to the extent possible these ancient techniques;
In 2023/24 no restoration work on streams was carried out in the nature reserve.
Landschaftspflegehof Tütsberg, VNPs own farm, maintains several plots of arable land as “Heidebauernwirtschaft”, i.e. a system of historic land use with a 10 year rotation and long fallow periods. In 2024, four fields were again cultivated with old varieties of rye, oat and buckwheat. The high rainfall in 2024 led to a very good flowering of segetal species.
6. continue reducing areas with cultivation of energy crops within and beyond the borders of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve to a level that does not affect the nature reserve’s flora, fauna, ground water and scenic attraction; continue the efforts to maintain, restore or create segetal plant communities, given the mere biodiversity richness and agro-historical value of these rare plant communities in Europe;
The cultivation of energy crops within and beyond the borders of Lüneburg Heath Nature reserve is still very extensive. VNP does not have more precise data on the development of energy crop cultivation in the area around the NSG.
VNP works with a farmer in the north of the NSG to protect segetal species. The population of the very endangered fire lily (Lilium bulbiferum)was able to increase in 2023/24.
In 2023/24 9,6 hectares of pine forests (monocultures) owned by VNP were converted into mixed forests by planting. The planting of deciduous trees was made possible through several campaigns with volunteers and donations from private individuals, banks and other companies (Deutsche Bank, Bayersdorf, Rossmann, Sky Windenergie, Terra, Hotel Schnuck, Mondelez). A further 2000 deciduous trees were planted in Egestorf in the northeast of the nature reserve in the Nordheide water priority area. This measure was financed by “Kooperation Trinkwasserschutz Nordheide” / “Nordheide Water Protection Cooperation”.
On 32 hectares of VNP forest area coniferous tree seedlings were removed and deciduous trees were promoted. This allows the forest to develop from coniferous into deciduous forest in the long term.
8. continue including scientific experiments in regional planning processes and prevent negative impacts on the nature reserve from outside the area’s boundary; carry out sufficient and detailed studies taking into account the recommendations formulated by the Verein Naturschutzpark before licensing a wind farm or any other construction project in the neighbourhood of the reserve; continue the co-operation with scientists and support scientific research programmes within the boundaries of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve to further underpin the management with evidence-based arguments;
There is a new law in Lower Saxony (Lower Saxony Wind Energy Area Requirements Act NwindG) that requires districts to designate areas for the construction of wind farms.
In the Harburg district, where the northern part of the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve is located, 3.000 hectares of land must be designated for the construction of wind farms by 2027 and 4.000 ha until 2032. The pressure to designate additional areas for the construction of wind farms near the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve has increased significantly as a result of the new law.
Since 2022 VNP has made two study areas available to the Leuphana University of Lüneburg for the “Grassworks” research project. The Grassworks project is investigating throughout Germany how grassland areas can be successfully renatured. Selected areas were floristically mapped several times and the occurrence of insects was recorded. The data on fauna and flora from the project is currently being evaluated. The final report of the project is expected in 2025. The results will be used for the further renaturation of grassland areas in the NSG Lüneburger Heide.
9. in close co-operation with the Lower Saxony authorities, continue the efforts to merge the extensive internal data with external data available (for example the database of Lower Saxony concerning Natura 2000) so that all species occurring in the reserve are recorded and mapped to ensure they are considered in regional, national and federal planning procedures; consider outsourcing the development of a data exchange system that will ensure the compatibility of both systems;
The Nature Conservation Academy NNA of the state of Lower Saxony is currently working on a new app to record plant species in the field. The app should contain interfaces to important botany programs e.g. “observation.org” or “iNaturalist”.
10. assess the feasibility of creating buffer zones in the neighbouring areas of the Lüneburg Heath Nature Reserve with a high protection status in order to mitigate the effects of disturbances on the core zone;
The Lüneburg Heath nature reserve is the center of “Naturpark Lüneburger Heide”. In 2024 the park was expanded by 1993 ha. It is now around 110.000 hectares in size and extends to the city of Lüneburg, which gives it its name.
In the Harburg district, two important heathland areas became nature reserves. “Büsenbachtal” was formerly a registered “Landschaftsschutzgebiet” of 60 ha. It has now been given the higher protection status of a “nature reserve” of 224 hectares. The neighboring “Brunsberg” also became a nature reserve. Both protected areas are only a few kilometers away from the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve. They are important "stepping stone biotopes".
11. continue monitoring invasive alien plant and animal species thoroughly, in order to implement appropriate management measures that minimise their presence and impact on the native species; implement, to the extent possible, the recommendations of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention regarding invasive alien species; strengthen national and international co-operation in the field of invasive alien species;
In 2024, late-flowering black cherries (Prunus serotina) were cleared on VNP forest areas for the first time with a horse instead of machines. The project was made possible through a private donation. Cultivated blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) were removed from bog habitats in Pietzmoor and Freyenser Moor by hand. There are still far too few financial resources available from public nature conservation funds to combating invasive species particularly in woodlands.
12. consider setting up a participatory stakeholder platform to address issues associated with the presence of the wolf in the broader area and to define consensual measures that are feasible, effective and fundable to deal with the potential impact of this carnivore species protected by European legislation; strengthen national and international co-operation to identify good species management practices.
In the summer of 2024, 57 wolf territories were detected in the state of Lower Saxony: 52 wolf packs, 3 wolf pairs and 2 resident individual wolves. Between Octobre 2023 and June 2024 37 dead wolves were found in the federal state of Lower Saxony, none of them in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve. 29 wolves were killed in traffic accidents and one was killed illegally.
In 2023/24 in Heidekreis county (the southern part of Lüneburg Heath Nature reserve and surrounding areas) 5 attacks of wolves on grazing animals with 16 killed grazing animals were registered. In Harburg county (the northern part of Lüneburg Heath Nature reserve and surrounding areas) 11 attacks of wolves on grazing animals with 58 killed grazing animals, 23 injured grazing animals and 1 animal grazing missing were determined.
VNP has been calling for years to regulate the population of wolves in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve. Otherwise, there is a great risk that the herding of Heidschnucken sheep and goats, which is essential in order to maintain the habitats in this historic cultural landscape, will have to be stopped.
The state of Lower Saxony has set up a working group on the subject of wolves. In the “Wolf Dialogue Forum” nature conservation organizations, hunters, land users, administration and politics work together to improve wolf management. The hunters' and land users' associations left the "Dialogforum Wolf" in April 2024 because they no longer see any progress in the working group. In August 2024, new rules of procedure for the “Dialogforum Wolf” were adopted.
In December 2023, the environment ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany and the federal states decided on a new wolf management:
In areas with above-average wolf attacks on well-protected livestock, shooting is permitted for 21 days at a distance of 1.000 meters from the specific pasture without waiting for a DNA sample. The EU Commission and the federal government had declared this procedure to be legal and compatible with the Habitats Directive. Due to complaints from an association for the protection of wolves, the new directive on the shooting of problematic wolves has not yet been implemented in Lower Saxony. In 2024, the responsible courts revoked two permits from the state of Lower Saxony to shoot wolves that had repeatedly killed sheep and cattle.
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