PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The 365 km2 Nossentiner-Schwinzer Heide nature park, located in the wooded lake district of central Mecklenburg, is a mosaic of landscape types shaped by Ice Age glaciers: Meso-eutrophic lakes flanked by fossil dunes; drier sandy areas next to humid sections and various kinds of fen; pine woods, mixed forest and beech stands; remnants of ancient grazed woodland and (along the Mildenitz and Nebel rivers in particular) alder swamps and patches of alder-ash forest. Seven particularly important sub-sites where the structural complexity of the landscape provides habitats for a wide range of flora and fauna were chosen for the LIFE project. These sites are foraging and nesting areas for the osprey (Pandion haliaetus), white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and common crane (Grus grus). The intensification of farming, forestry, hydrological engineering, fishing and tourism (a tourist village with 2 500 beds was planned) threatened the nature park. Land ownership was unclear. Anticipated land sales resulting from the return of former GDR state-owned land to its previous owners, and of large agricultural and forestry holdings was considered a threat to the region's conservation status.
OBJECTIVES
The project set out to do the land use planning groundwork for future conservation-oriented management of the seven selected sub-sites (all nature reserves within the Nossentiner-Schwinzer Heide nature park). Depending on the progress made, the implementation of measures developed in the planning phase would be implemented at one site (Großer und Kleiner Serrahn). The focus of initial measures would be on visitor access and hydrological management. The nature park would be used as a model to determine which different forms of land use could co-exist and retain effective protection of priority habitats and species. The model would demonstrate environmentally sustainable human use of parts of sensitive and vulnerable sites.
RESULTS
Benchmarking surveys were carried out at the seven sites, from which development goals and management plans were established. The survey took account of the Habitats and Birds Directive Annexes so the approach would be transferrable. The surveys and planning used fewer resources than foreseen so the project began implementing hydrological management plans, traffic and visitor management plans, and public awareness plans across all seven sub-sites. The interventions were very diverse, including for example, removing pumping stations, preparing Environmental Impact Assessments where necessary, erecting fencing, reducing grazing pressure on wet meadows, and redirecting visitor attention away from sites to reduce disturbance. A 42 ha area was purchased at the Großer und Kleiner Serrahn sub-site so that a pumping station could be removed and a fen/mire area rewetted and extended. Benchmarking surveys were carried out at the seven sites, from which development goals and management plans were established. The survey took account of the Habitats and Birds Directive Annexes so the approach would be transferrable. The surveys and planning used fewer resources than foreseen so the project began implementing hydrological management plans, traffic and visitor management plans, and public awareness plans across all seven sub-sites. The interventions were very diverse, including for example, removing pumping stations, preparing Environmental Impact Assessments where necessary, erecting fencing, reducing grazing pressure on wet meadows, and redirecting visitor attention away from sites to reduce disturbance. A 42 ha area was purchased at the Großer und Kleiner Serrahn sub-site so that a pumping station could be removed and a fen/mire area rewetted and extended.