Since German Wall came down, BUND Saxony-Anhalt has created one of the largest and most important nature conservation projects along the former border strips.
The Green Belt Saxony-Anhalt was established as part of the European Green Belt, which was created along the corridor of the former Iron Curtain. Hardly any other nature conservation project in Saxony-Anhalt pursues the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity as well as ensuring sustainable land management on such a large scale as the Green Belt Saxony-Anhalt. After the fall of the German Wall, the Green Belt has become a refuge for more than 1,200 rare and endangered plants and animals to this day. With a length of 345 km, Saxony-Anhalt has the second longest part of the Green Belt in Germany after Thuringia. The Green Belt borders 14 municipalities and 4 counties in Saxony-Anhalt, with a total area of around 5250 hectares covered by the Green Belt. The counties are Harz, Börde, Altmarkkreis Salzwedel and Stendal. Numerous peri-urban open spaces close to small cities are protected along the Green Belt. For example, this concerns the cities of Salzwedel, Arendsee (Altmark), Ilsenburg (Harz) or Osterwieck. According to current surveys, 87 % of the Green Belt is already intact as a biotope network. 13 % of the Green Belt has gaps in the biotope network. Saxony-Anhalt, with a total length of about 100 km, has the largest share of gaps and thus bears a special responsibility for closing the gaps in the Green Belt. In 2009, the German Bundestag included the Green Belt as part of the National Biotope Network in the Federal Nature Conservation Act (Bundesnaturschutzgesetz).
Resources needed
Up to 10 employees work in the project "Green Belt" Saxony-Anhalt.
Evidence of success
For many endangered species and habitats, the Green Belt is now of supraregional, often even nationwide importance.
With the efforts of the SUNK foundation, it was possible to convert overly intensively used arable land along the Green Belt into flower-rich lean lowland meadows. Regionally adapted seeds were used for this purpose.
Furthermore, the restoration of heathlands has created new habitat for endangered red-listed species, such as the adder.
Difficulties encountered
The greatest challenge of the Green Belt Saxony-Anhalt is to close the gaps in the biotope networks. This is a lengthy process, as many of these gaps represent areas that are privately owned.
Potential for learning or transfer
The strategic and legal anchoring of the Green Belt in the Federal Nature Conservation Act (Bundesnaturschutzgesetz) of Germany makes an important contribution to the protection of the ecosystems and biodiversity of the peri-urban open spaces along the Green Belt of Saxony-Anhalt. At the same time, this legal framework helps to ensure that the peri-urban open spaces along the Green Belt are preserved and protected. The successful cooperation of various nature conservation foundations and organizations is an important example for how the ecosystems and biodiversity of peri-urban open spaces can be sustainably protected in cooperation. In this context, the SUNK foundation Saxony-Anhalt as well as BUND association are taking central roles in Saxony-Anhalt. They carry out activities and measures that protect the open spaces and biotopes along the Green Belt.
For further info a 2. link regarding the GP:
https://www.bund-sachsen-anhalt.com/themen/biotope-und-landschaften/gruenes-band/
Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecosystem, Peri-urban, Protected areas, Protection
