The aim of draining the watercourse to create a near-natural design is to reintegrate the watercourse into the natural cycle (soil/water/air). The aim is to improve the water balance and the microclimate in the city park.

The first concrete goals for achieving good ecological status have already been described on the basis of the existing action plan and action plan for improving the watercourses in Salzgitter (see above).

The course of the Schölke must be oriented towards the wooded areas and the existing paths in the park area. This is easily possible in the Stadtpark due to the large-scale meandering course.

The installation of solid substrate (gravel, dead wood) in the form of diagonal ground sills and flow deflectors is planned for the near-natural redesign. Design elements such as natural stones in the bed and bank areas can be installed as crossing aids and as places to linger along the watercourse.

The Schölke falls completely dry several times a year, which is why areas with backwater in smaller troughs or backwater opportunities are desirable in some passages.

This will improve the development of structural diversity even during periods of low water or dry fall. A habitat for amphibians or other small creatures is created.

Opening up the Schölke for around 700 meters of piping:

• Meandering, winding course
• Adapted bank planting
• Integration of the optimized rainwater discharge points
• Creation of adventure / local recreation areas
• Creation of information boards / interactive path

Create areas for more variety:

• Accompanying open space design of the park area

More biodiversity: Even a small channel becomes a refuge for dragonflies, amphibians, birds and insects - and thus a hotspot for biodiversity.

Natural microclimate: Open water areas and wetland biotopes cool the surroundings on hot days - measurably and noticeably.

Rainwater management: In times of frequent heavy rainfall, a natural stream can retain water, allow it to seep away or delay its discharge - protecting basements, roads and infrastructure.

Experience spaces: Where water is visible and accessible, it creates a quality of stay - for walkers, schoolchildren or simply anyone who wants to see and hear nature again.

With the opening up and near-natural redesign of the watercourse in the city park over a stretch of approx. 700 meters, the aim is to reduce the piped section and restore a near-natural watercourse structure in order to improve the ecological status.

At the same time, an accompanying open space design of the park is planned to enhance the quality of the stay as well as measures to improve biodiversity and environmental education.

The nature-oriented redesign will be implemented exclusively on city-owned land on the basis of this action plan and plan of measures.

In order to achieve the objectives, cooperation is planned between various stakeholders such as nature conservation authorities, the city's "Urban Redevelopment and Social City" department, schools and the general public. These are to be involved in the planning at an early stage and will be involved in the creation of the environmental education concept.

According to the Water Framework Directive, all bodies of water in the European Union must be in "good status" by 2027.

To this end, the city of Salzgitter began in 2020 to draw up an action plan with a plan of measures to improve the watercourses, which includes the course of the Schölke.

Alongside the Fuhse and Krähenriede, the Schölke is a 2nd order watercourse that characterizes the Lebenstedt area. The city park is of great importance as an open space for recreation and the urban climate.

The city park has a stock of trees worthy of protection and large areas of grassland. The informative tree nature trail is very popular. Events are also held in the city park.

• Planning services to be tendered and awarded
• Next working meeting with Wolfsburg and Braunschweig in October
• First major workshop in Wolfsburg in the 1st quarter of 2026
• Initial results of the preliminary planning at the end of June 2026

The project is being supported by a project group that has been set up. Participants in this group include representatives from politics, nature associations and various specialist services of the city administration.

The kick-off meeting took place in June 2025, where the project PDF-File7,56 MB

read out

The group will meet regularly to explain and discuss progress and various details.

The project is funded 2/3 by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (formerly BMUV) and 1/3 by the Regional Association of Braunschweig.

The total funding amounts to 1,082,937.21 euros.

In an overarching project idea, the three regional centers of Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Wolfsburg want to jointly strengthen and establish water-sensitive urban development.

Planning in relation to the Schölke is being carried out as part of the "Water-sensitive urban development of the regional centers of Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Wolfsburg" project initiated by the Greater Braunschweig Regional Association (RGB) for blue-green infrastructure measures as a partial pilot project for the city of Salzgitter.

In addition to the implementation of coordinated pilot projects, a regular peer-to-peer exchange for mutual learning is to take place for the overarching project idea. To this end, various working groups are to be set up to deal with the implementation of measures in the sub-projects, among other things, but also to jointly develop position papers and action plans in the long term, for example.

The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the Greater Braunschweig Regional Association are funding the nature conservation projects in all three cities.

The costs are covered by funding from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMU) (66.66 percent) and the Greater Braunschweig Regional Association (33.34 percent), meaning that the city of Salzgitter does not incur any costs.