Imprint Publisher: Municipality of Hamm, Environmental Department Project processing: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Biologischer Umweltschutz im Kreis Soest e.V. in cooperation with the Municipality of Hamm, the Lippeverband and the District of Warendorf 1st edition, December 2009 Photos, drawings: © 2009, see name of author beside the pictures. Cover photos: H. Blossey ii Contents Preface . 2 The floodplain as natural habitat . 4 Humans alter the floodplain . 6 The European Union helps: The LIFE programme . 8 The project partners . 10 Plan area and affected zones . 11 The Lippe is set free: removal of bank reinforcement and extension of course . 16 Flood channels and oxbow lakes: restoration of watercourses . 18 Networked habitats: improved connectivity . 20 Dunes and alluvial woodland: tomorrow‘s wilderness . 22 Moist and unfertilized: environmentally friendly agriculture. 24 A landscape to enjoy: visitors in the Lippe floodplain. 26 The return of the Sand Martin: Successes in nature . 28 Conclusion . 30 Literature . 31 Location plan, contact . 32 1 Municipality of Hamm M. Bunzel-Drüke Municipality of Hamm 2 Preface Riverine floodplains are unique ved EU funding at an early stage natural landscapes because the and commenced the ecological force of the water constantly LIFE Project with an area of 615 creates a new and varied mosaic hectares of the River Lippe and of different habitats. The water its water meadows. meadows between the town of Hamm and the districts of Wa- Since then, the work along the rendorf and Soest are an excellent Lippe has not only been concer- example. ned with achieving ecological the affected areas. Moreover, the improvements for many species local public was provided with Firstly, the floodplain of the of animal, bird and plant but comprehensive information and River Lippe is characterized by also with creating more water involved in the planning process different bodies of water: oxbow retention space for protection at an early stage. A not insignifi- lakes, ponds, ditches and streams. against future floods. Thanks to cant factor speaking for the pro- Other significant features of the the removal of river bank rein- ject is the fact that the investments floodplain landscape are extensi- forcement over a length of almost made for implementation of the ve reedbeds and water meadows 6 kilometres, the Lippe has been LIFE measures also contribute that are an important cultural released from its bonds and the to the safeguarding of jobs in heritage. We find habitat types form in which it is taking advan- the landscaping and hydraulic that have become rare, such as tage of this new freedom is shown engineering sectors. the wet stands of tall perennial by the numerous steeply eroded herbs or relict alluvial woodlands banks and the sandbanks depo- I am very happy that the EU‘s with alder, ash and softwood sited in the course of the river. successor programme LIFE+ trees. These facts alone would be Today we have the remarkable enables the continuation of this justification enough for protec- situation that the Lippe floodplain successful work on the Lippe. ting this beautiful landscape. But is still largely being utilized as The municipality of Hamm, the Lippe floodplain near Hamm a cultivated landscape by local the Lippeverband and the other is also home to numerous rare farmers, but – on the other hand project partners will restore species of animal and bird. King- – that the natural heritage of the further sections of the Lippe and fisher, Lapwing, Marsh Harrier Lippe landscape has been made its floodplain to a near-natural and Corncrake, to mention just accessible to our citizens. In the condition between 2010 and a few examples, depend on the area of the Oberwerrieser Mersch 2015. I wish the citizens of the habitats of the Lippe floodplain visitors are able to observe the region many fascinating hours in for survival. natural life of a large pond from the floodplain of the River Lippe, a plank walkway. An observation enjoying the power and beauty These are all good arguments for hill offers a view of the broader of this landscape. including the Lippe floodplain water meadow landscape. between Hangfort and Hamm in the European nature conservation The LIFE Project Lippe Floodplain network „Natura 2000“, making is a good example of how rivers a significant contribution to pre- can be restored in such a way servation of the European natural that that economic, social and Eckhard Uhlenberg heritage. Within the framework ecological demands are made of the so-called LIFE programme, compatible. This only became Minister for the Environment and the municipality of Hamm, in co- possible as a consequence of Conservation, Agriculture and operation with the Lippeverband the early forging of cooperative Consumer Protection of the State and other project partners, recei- ties between users and owners of of North Rhine-Westphalia 3 The floodplain as a natural habitat M. Bunzel-Drüke What is a floodplain? It borders a channel, a side stream is given a live in newly created ponds, while stream or river, but what does the new course. The wind can pile up Water Lilies and Common Toads term “floodplain” mean exactly? dry sand into dunes. Gravel banks, are to be found in older bodies When water levels are low, the heaps of dead wood, meadows, of water. Golden Orioles and the river remains within the normal stands of tall perennial herbs, reed- Purple Emperor butterfly populate confines of its channel. However, beds, alluvial woodlands and a alluvial woodlands. In spring the after heavy rainfalls the increased variety of forms of standing water: Pike leaves the river to lay its eggs volume of water demands more shallow temporary pools, ponds, in flooded meadows, where Storks space and the river overflows its oxbow lakes and flood channels, and flocks of wading birds, ducks banks and covers the floor of its are created. This large variety of and geese search for food. valley. For a period of time the river natural habitats makes the flood channel is then much wider. All valley into one of the most species- Natural riverine floodplains with the land that the river can flood rich natural landscapes of Central their water meadows are rich in – even if this only happens once Europe. And most of the animals natural resources and also act as in a hundred years – is called the and plants that occur here not storage areas for nutrients and wa- floodplain. It consists partly of only tolerate the dynamic chan- ter. Their natural water-retention dry land and partly of the river ges, but are indeed dependent on capability reduces the destructive channel. them. Black poplars need banks force of flood waves. of mud that gradually dry out and Human beings originally made Floodplains are unique landsca- thus provide ideal conditions for use of rivers for fish-catching pes. The power of the river water their seeds and saplings to grow. and later used them as transport creates a complex mosaic of natu- The young trees later act as food routes with small boats. The allu- ral habitats, and constantly recar- and building material for beavers. vial woodlands were rich hunting ves the contours of the floodplain, Kingfishers dig their nest tunnels grounds, also providing firewood creating an ever new combination. in vertical sandy banks. Pasqueflo- and timber and later acting as Here, a flood scours out a deep wers bloom on sand dunes, which grazing areas for herds of cattle. pothole, there it deposits the mud also provide a home for Green These uses had only a small effect or sand that its current has washed Tiger Beetles. Charophyceae algae on the ancient natural community downstream. An old tree under- and the larvae of Broad-bodied of river valleys. cut by the water lies in the river Chaser dragonflies and Tree Frogs 4 M. Bunzel-Drüke White Stork M. Scharf Green Tiger Beetles H. Vierhaus Yellow Water-lily 5 Humans alter the floodplain A picture from the 1960s: A construction crew of the Lippeverband securing an undercut bank. Lippeverband In the course of time our ancestors had greater force and therefore even „severely polluted“. exploited rivers and floodplains. eroded and washed away its However, a general public re- The valuable areas of land were sandy bed. The bank reinforce- thinking then occurred; people put to intensive agricultural use, ments prevented the supply and no longer wanted rivers to be rivers were straightened and their accumulation of new sand. The nothing more than open sewers! banks reinforced to increase their Lippe, which had formerly been But a great social effort was re- viability for boat traffic and water a wide, shallow and varied ri- quired before bodies of water power utilization, settlements ver, consequently scoured out were cleaned up. These days were even built in flood areas, a channel that was up to 4 m modern sewage plants ensure rivers were turned into waste deep and its water meadows good water quality. water receivers. These changes dried out. Flood channels were came gradually, but in sum they converted into drainage ditches, Clean water is a vital necessity for had dramatic negative effects. By meadows were drained and often humans, animals and birds. But the end of the 20th century all ploughed. As flood protection for many species need more, namely the Lippe‘s alluvial woodlands the agricultural land, low dykes near-natural habitats – and those had been cut down, the sand were built along the banks of the were still few and far between in dunes had been excavated and Lippe. In this way, the river and the Lippe floodplain. Then in the numerous open wetlands with the water meadows – formerly a 1990s the municipality of Hamm standing water had been destroy- single unit – were separated from and the Lippeverband carried ed.