WWF transfers conservation lands to Lübeck for free

The WWF has transferred its owned conservation areas in the Lauenburg region to the Hansestadt Lübeck municipal forest (Stadtwald) free of charge. This move aims to secure long-term ecological successes and facilitate new conservation projects.

The partnership between the WWF and the Lübeck municipal forest spans over 40 years, while the city has managed much of the area for over 50 years. A key area of focus is the Ritzerauer Mühlenbach, located approximately 25 kilometers south of Lübeck. Near the Ritzerau Forest, a 23-hectare buffer of near-natural meadow structures provides a refuge for rare plant species, such as Silene nutans, Cirsium arvense, and Filipendula ulmaria, which struggle to survive in intensively farmed and drained landscapes.