Land acquisition and consolidation

The declared aim is to transfer the private core areas in question to the public sector (in this case: the state of Lower Saxony) in order to permit sustainable implementation of the planned hydraulic engineering and landscape conservation measures. The EU Commission and the project sponsor consider this the surest way of guaranteeing that the areas will be lastingly available for nature conservation.

As an alternative, the intention in certain cases is to work with licensing agreements in favour of the state of Lower Saxony, or to exchange privately owned areas of equivalent value. Such an exchange may take place within the project area at locations not so greatly affected by measures, as well as outside the project area if suitable areas are available. The objective of the entire process is to reach solutions with the land owners by common consent.

This land management will take place as part of a simplified land consolidation procedure, because excellent legal instruments are available for any area reorganisation in this connection. The procedure will ensure that the land owners concerned suffer no disadvantages. The land consolidation agency (= Office for Land Development, or “AfL”) is based within the Lower Saxony Geographic Information and Spatial Development Office (LGLN, Regional Directorate Hanover) and works closely together with the project manager(s) of the LIFE+ Project.

The land consolidation agency has informed land owners regarding the simplified land consolidation process for the “Hannoversche Moorgeest” project at two major events to date.

Both the land consolidation agency and the project management attach great importance to trustful cooperation with the committee of the participant community (who represent the interests of land owners).