This large-scale nature conservation project was a joint project of the federal government, the state of Saxony-Anhalt and WWF Germany. WWF Germany managed the project from 2001 to 2010 as the project executing organisation. The objectives of the project were to develop, safeguard and recultivate a contiguous network of genuine, floodable floodplain forests in the Steckby-Lödderitzer Forest region by moving back dykes. The project had a total budget of 15 million euros. The area’s special characteristics were the impetus behind this large-scale nature conservation project. These special characteristics included the last remaining extensive contiguous floodplain forest on the Elbe, riverside meadows with an abundance of different species and a river landscape with, in places, natural valley borders without dykes. The objective of the project was to safeguard and recultivate floodplain forests from the Mulde to the Saale estuary with flora and fauna native to the floodplains. Doing this required the development of a biotope complex, the moving back of dykes and the restoration and replanting of floodplain forests. Inhabitants were actively included in the discussion process when it came to relocating the dykes. Moving back dykes is one component of Saxony-Anhalt’s flood control concept and is supported by the State Office for Flood Control and Water Conservation. Other activities include acquiring land to prevent zoning conflicts in floodplain forests and on floodplain grasslands and the reactivation of flooding channels.

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