Page 24 - Port of Hamburg Magazine - 02.18

■ GREEN PORT
Claudia Flecken, responsible for upstream infrastruc- ture on the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) board of management, and a Foundation board member, is also convinced of their work: “The Elbe Habitat Foundation is a great success – from our point of view too, i.e., from the port angle. A healthy Tidal Elbe is also more robust when coping with human activity.” What is more, by cooperating on the foundation board, cooper- ation and trust between the players on the Tidal Elbe have been strengthened. “This is in our interest, since we understand very well that maintaining a sys- tem-compatible depth of water long-term, will only be possible with the
alogue process promoted by the Elbe Habitat Founda- tion, the ‘Tidal Elbe Forum’, is preparing the way so that in future even major projects, such as creating tid- al capacity by moving back dykes, or restoring connec- tions to old tributaries of the Tidal Elbe, can be imple- mented.” The Tidal Elbe Forum is the platform for a structured, objective dialogue between the neighbour- ing federal states of Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Schles- wig-Holstein, the federal ministries, plus the counties, local authorities, associations and organisations from the region. The overriding aim is to identify and prior- itize river-model measures that will promote sustaina-
ble development of the Tidal Elbe.
The Elbe Habitat Foun- dation is unique across Germany, demonstrat- ing that it is possible for representatives from the most diverse view- points to work con- structively and trusting- ly together. In the meantime, it is serving as a role model, send-
“The Elbe Habitat Foundation is a great success – from our point of view too, i.e., from the port angle.”
Claudia Flecken – HPA and Foundation
support or accept-
ance of other legit-
imate interests on
the Tidal Elbe.”
Without question,
HPA’s main focus
of attention is
safeguarding ac-
cessibility to the
Port of Hamburg
for the long term.
“We are pursuing
a clear economic interest – for the prosperity of people in our region,” says Claudia Flecken. “In the process, we have also learned that we can, again and again, pur- sue common aims with other interest groups. For ex- ample, river model measures such as giving the river back more space, serves both to maintain water depth and protect nature and water bodies.” In this connec- tion Elisabeth Klocke points out another project: “A di-
board member
ing out a clear message, well beyond Hamburg’s city limits. Through interaction and dialogue, the pros- pects for ongoing economically worthwhile, and equally sustainable, development of the Tidal Elbe are more than promising. ■
For further information on the organisation and work of the Elbe Habitat Foundation and the Tidal Elbe Forum: www. stiftung-lebensraum-elbe.de and www.forum-tideelbe.de.
24 | Port of Hamburg Magazine | June 2018
ONE OF A TOTAL OF 70 FOUNDATION PROJECTS: DISMANTLING RIVERBANK REVETMENTS AND UPGRADING DYKE FORELANDS, SUCH AS HERE AT WRAUSTER BOGEN, PROVIDE SUITABLE HABITATS FOR ANIMALS AND PLANTS
© Johannes Arlt