Report: ‘Protection of proof Coastal protection Ley Bay: Vegetation Leybucht/Leyhörn (1995-2002)»

“In 1985, the Stawa Aurich (now NLWK branch Aurich) started the measure “Coast Protection Leybucht”. The Coastal Research Centre of the Lower Saxony State Office for Ecology (NLÖ Coast Research Centre) was commissioned in 1989, in coordination with the Weser-Ems District Government/Dezernat Wasserwirtschaft and the then Stawa Aurich, to provide evidence on the construction project. In the course of the first phase of the survey (1989-1997), a first overview of the vegetation development of the Ley Bay from 1948 to 1996 was presented in the context of already implemented or planned construction and utilisation changes in the area (ARENS 1997). By letter dated 18 December 1997, the NLÖ Coast Research Centre was issued by the Weser-Ems District Government (Dec. 502), in consultation with the Aurich NLWK, tasked with the continuation of the evidence and thus the initiation of the second phase of investigation (1998-2000). In this context, for the first time in 1998, the Leyhörn Nature Reserve (ARENS 1999) and the compensation areas Hauener Hooge were mapped again in 1998 and 2000 (ARENS 2000, KAYSER 2002). Furthermore, a first interim report on vegetation development in the permanent areas of Ley Bay from 1995 to 2000 was presented (ARENS 2001). During the third phase of the investigation, a final mapping of the Leybucht and NSG Leyhörn as well as the recording of permanent areas were planned for 2002. For financial reasons, only the vegetation studies in the permanent areas could be carried out in 2002. Also for financial reasons, no recording of permanent areas was carried out in the previous year. An overall mapping of the Leybucht and the NSG Leyhörn is planned for 2003. As of 01.06.2002, the Land of Lower Saxony, represented by the Aurich Industries Stele of the NLWK, was commissioned by PlantaGIS, Oldenburg, to the Planning Office for Ecological Assessments of PlantaGIS, Oldenburg, to examine and represent permanent areas in the Leybucht and the NSG Leyhörn for 2002. The following questions should be answered in the context of the evaluation: What changes have taken place in relation to previous studies and which can be expected for the future? What is the evolution of vegetation in the permanent areas in relation to the prognosis given by the Coastal Research Centre? What effects do the compensation measures implemented in the course of the company “Coast Protection Leybucht” (e.g. nursing and development measures in the NSG Leyhörn) have on vegetation and how can they be assessed in terms of nature conservation? What changes to care and development measures are necessary, where appropriate, in order to achieve the objectives of the Care and Development Programme and the Management Plan? Since vegetation studies of the entire areas of the Leybucht and the NSG Leyhörn could not be carried out in 2002, the following statements refer only to the processed permanent areas.’