From Farmland to Habitat: Wetland Biotope Flüthewehr
Five years ago, excavators moved into a former agricultural field in the south of Göttingen, Germany. The goal was ambitious: transform around 16 hectares of mostly intensively managed farmland into a habitat where nature could return and thrive.
Today, the positive impact of these efforts is clearly visible throughout the area. Temporary shallow-water pools, a permanent pond, grassland and a softwood alluvial forest now characterize the site along the River Leine. Recent monitoring results show that plant diversity has more than doubled within four years, accompanied by a substantial increase in animal species richness across the biotope.
This article is posted on Sartorius Blog.
Reimagining 16 Hectares
The Flüthewehr project began with a simple but ambitious idea: transform former farmland into a thriving ecosystem across a project area of 16 hectares, while creating opportunities for people to experience nature close to the city. The initiative was launched by Sartorius in partnership with the City of Göttingen and the Heinz Sielmann Foundation. The city provided the land, the Heinz Sielmann Foundation contributed the ecological expertise, and Sartorius invested more than 1 million euros to realize the project.
Earthworks began in 2021, reshaping around 16 hectares of mostly former agricultural land into wetlands, species-rich grasslands and areas that will gradually develop into softwood alluvial forest. The biotope was officially opened in 2022. Today, visitors can explore the landscape through surrounding paths, information boards, a wooden boardwalk and an observation platform, creating opportunities to connect with nature while protecting sensitive habitats. For local residents, the area has become a popular place to walk, cycle or simply spend time in nature.
Excavators create structures in the biotope | September 2021
Nature is Returning: Tracking Ecological Change
The latest vegetation surveys provide a clear picture of how the site has developed. In 2022, researchers recorded 48 plant species across the monitored areas of eight 16-square-meter plots. By 2026, that number had risen to 112. The average number of species found in the permanent survey plots more than doubled. Researchers also identified 22 characteristic species of extensively managed grasslands, an important indicator of ecological quality.
Part of this development can be traced back to a deliberate decision made at the beginning of the project: rather than sowing seed mixtures, the restoration team from the Heinz Sielmann Foundation allowed nature to take the lead. Over years and sometimes decades, plant seeds can remain viable in the soil. Once farming ceased and conditions changed, many species reappeared from this natural soil seed bank.
Allowing nature to take the lead also led to some unexpected results. During the first years after the transformation, vegetation established itself so vigorously that some thistles grew taller than two meters. ”Some were taller than a person, and you could barely see across the site,” recalled Dr. Heiko Schumacher, Head of Biodiversity at the Heinz Sielmann Foundation. The nutrient-rich soils favored not only the desired plant communities but also the rapid growth of robust pioneer species. Today, grazing by the site's dwarf zebu cattle helps keep this vigorous growth in check and creates the varied vegetation structure that benefits many other species.
Dr. Martina Koch and Dr. Heiko Schumacher look back at plans of the original area of the biotope | Photo: Christoph Mischke
More Than Plants Are Benefiting
As plant diversity increased, wildlife began to follow. Amphibians such as common frogs, pond newts and common toads now breed in the wetlands, while birds including kingfishers, partridges and thorn warblers use the habitat for feeding and shelter. One particularly unexpected visitor was the Eurasian stone-curlew, a species rarely observed in the region.
The area's structural diversity supports an increasing variety of wildlife. Monitoring has documented 23 dragonfly species, while mammals such as beavers, otters and wildcats have also been documented in the area. Several previously undocumented species were recorded during surveys conducted in 2026, including several insects, providing further evidence that ecological complexity continues to increase year after year.
It's amazing to see the potential that nature has when you give it the space and time it needs. When you also allow natural processes, such as grazing, to take place, diverse and stable ecosystems emerge.
Dr. Martina Koch from the Heinz Sielmann Foundation.
The Permanent Residents: Dwarf Zebus
Among the project's most visible residents are its herd of dwarf zebu cattle that graze parts of the site. The calm-mannered animals play an important role for the site’s management and at the same time attract attention from visitors. By feeding on grasses, thistles and young woody plants, the cattle help prevent scrub encroachment and maintain the open habitats many plant and animal species depend on. Unlike mechanical landscape maintenance, the zebus create natural variation in vegetation height and structure through their selective grazing behavior.
Partnership as a Driver of Impact
Five years after the first excavators arrived on site, Flüthewehr demonstrates what an innovative and persisting collaboration can achieve. The landscape will continue to evolve over the coming decades, but the latest monitoring results already show that the area has become a valuable habitat for plants and wildlife. Its success shows that, given time and the right conditions, nature has a remarkable capacity to recover and thrive.
