Vollhoefner Forest to become Hamburg's 38th nature reserve

"The 'Voelli' will remain in place as Hamburg's 38th nature reserve. This decision ends a long struggle for this unique little primeval forest, which will remain home to many endangered animal and plant species in future," said Jens Kerstan, Senator for the Environment. Nature conservation comes first, he stressed. Land will be exchanged instead of expanding the port area. Dr Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economics, said: "The agreement to swap land means we are securing an area near the port for the environment and preserving the overall area needed for the port. We can use sites to generate renewable energy on the territory of Hamburg.” Five new sites for wind turbines will be developed in the port to boost climate protection and the energy transition, Kerstan added.

The area must be released from port use before it can be designated as a nature conservation area. An amended port planning ordinance foresees compensation from port logistical uses and the construction of new wind turbines as the area borders the Altenwerder Container Terminal. The feasibility of setting up wind turbines there is also to be examined. Both the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry for Economics are working on implementing the plans. Almost all of the areas in the future nature reserve were designated "valuable" and "particularly valuable" in the 2019 biotope mapping, and one alluvial forest area was even designated "highly valuable". Endangered  plant species such as river-grass weed and the marsh goose thistle grow in Vollhoefner Forest. Endangered animals such as the mud whip, the pouched tit and various bat species also live in the complex biotope structure.

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