Elbauen bei Vockerode - Improvement and Long-Term Safeguarding of the Natura 2000 Site “Dessau-Wörlitz Elbe Floodplain”

This project aims at flood prevention and at establishing a favourable conservation status of the unique riverine landscape on the middle Elbe in order to ensure the improvement and long-term safeguarding of the site. The project connects the natural conservation functions inherent in riparian dynamics and floodplain development with aspects of flood protection. Its main objective is to enable natural succession dynamics of the entire area and to ensure a unique floodplain landscape and a favourable water status. The dyke relocation can ensure extra retention areas, and the preventative values of natural ecological flood protection can therefore be enhanced. The project also enables approval process of the dyke relocation to be influenced through the integration of natural protection dyke planning. Furthermore, the project measures serve to enhance the current state of the area and to restore it into a natural dynamic floodplain landscape with typical site specific habitat types. In some specific locations the goal is to prevent the transformation of the forest by invasive species such as the American green ash and promote endemic species of the Annexes of the Habitats Directive. Ox-bow stretches, currently detached from the river can also be revitalised, thereby improving habitat conditions for some species in the area.