Successful Start to Landscape Planning in the Geeste Lowland, Cuxhaven
LAND Germany is pleased about the successful kick-off of the first workshop for developing a regional landscape concept for the Geeste lowland in the district of Cuxhaven. The focus is on water as a central element for ecological and landscape transformation.
The Geeste lowland, a 15,000-hectare area, faces major challenges united under one central theme: water. Water management plays a key role here due to the increasing pressure of flooding, the transformation of agriculture on moorland, and the need for ecological development.
The workshop last week, which took place in close cooperation with local associations, the town of Geestland, the municipalities of Schiffdorf and Beverstedt, the district (Landkreis) of Cuxhaven and our partner Arcadis, focused on the sustainable use of the landscape and nature conservation. The participants examined vital topics such as water management, climate adaptation, nature conservation and sustainable land use. The aim is to develop a long-term sustainable concept that meets ecological requirements, involves the local population, and promotes value creation in rural areas.
First workshop for developing a regional landscape concept for the Geeste lowland. Image by LAND
Water as a unifying element of landscape planning
The Geeste lowland faces particular challenges with flooding and peatland use. Managing water, both as a resource and as a risk, is essential to safeguarding the area’s ecological and agricultural potential. In this context, the landscape concept emphasises that water is not only a problem but also an opportunity: Targeted water management can be used to preserve and create new habitats, promote biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The workshop also discussed ways of promoting local recreation and sustainable mobility to increase the region’s attractiveness and strengthen the connection between people and nature.The insights gained from this first workshop will be further developed in the coming months. A follow-up workshop in November will continue the cooperation and further specify the regional landscape concept.
This process of cooperation and exchange once again demonstrates the importance of taking a holistic view of the interactions between landscape, water and nature conservation to find a future-oriented, sustainable solution for the Geeste lowland area.
Andreas Kipar, Mark van der Woude and Anna-Lena Bauer at Gemeinde Schiffdorf before the workshop
