Lower Saxony Funding for Projects in Transitional and Coastal Waters (Foerderdatenbank)

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Enriched Lower Saxony · Found: 2026-03-10 13:45

Federal funding database entry for Lower Saxony program supporting projects in transitional and coastal waters. Covers environmental improvement measures, habitat restoration, and sustainable management of coastal water ecosystems.

Source: https://foerderdatenbank.de/FDB/Content/DE/Foerderprogramm/Land/Niedersachsen/foerderung-vorhaben-uebergangs--kuestengewaessern.html

Funding Details

Funder: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Umwelt, Energie und Klimaschutz (Lower Saxony Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Protection)
Funding Goal: Funding for projects in transitional and coastal waters (Übergangs- und Küstengewässer) in Lower Saxony, including restoration of natural habitats (seagrass regeneration, tidal connectivity), restoration of tidal dynamics (tidal polders), nutrient load reduction measures, restoration of natural sediment dynamics, and related activities to achieve good ecological status under the EU Water Framework Directive.
Funding Amount: Up to 90% of eligible costs as a non-repayable grant; up to 100% for projects of overriding state interest or in state ownership.
Deadline: Rolling basis (Rolling)
How to Apply: Applications submitted before project start to NLWKN (Niedersächsischer Landesbetrieb für Wasserwirtschaft, Küsten- und Naturschutz), Standort Oldenburg, Ratsherr-Schulze-Straße 10, 26122 Oldenburg. Tel: 0441 7992027.
Target Region: Lower Saxony transitional and coastal waters (North Sea coast, particularly Ems estuary and other estuarine zones)
Contact: NLWKN Oldenburg, Ratsherr-Schulze-Straße 10, 26122 Oldenburg, Tel: 0441 7992027, Fax: 0441 7992632, poststelle@nlwkn-ol.niedersachsen.de
Last Checked: 2026-05-07 07:54

Application Checklist

Eligibility

Applicant must be a territorial authority (Gebietskörperschaft), public-law corporation, or legal entity performing water/environment tasks — NGOs not eligible

Project Scope

Project must be in Lower Saxony transitional or coastal waters as defined under EU WFD and MSFD
Initial focus: Ems estuary; approach must be transferable to other estuaries
Eligible activities: habitat restoration (seagrass, connectivity), tidal polder creation, nutrient reduction, sediment dynamics restoration

Required Documents

Application submitted to NLWKN Oldenburg before project start

Constraints

Grant rate: up to 90% of eligible costs (up to 100% for state projects)

Summary

The Lower Saxony Programme for Funding of Projects in Transitional and Coastal Waters (Förderrichtlinie Übergangs- und Küstengewässer — RL ÜKW) supports ecological restoration of transitional and coastal water bodies in Lower Saxony. The programme is funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Protection and implemented by NLWKN. The programme targets achievement of good ecological status in transitional and coastal waters as required under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) and Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Priority activities include: restoration of natural habitats in transitional and coastal waters (especially seagrass meadow regeneration and river-to-sea connectivity); restoration of natural tidal dynamics through tidal polder creation; reduction of nutrient loads entering coastal waters; and restoration of natural sediment dynamics. Funding is provided as a non-repayable grant of up to 90% of eligible costs, with up to 100% possible for projects of overriding state interest or carried out directly by the state. Eligible applicants are territorial authorities, public-law corporations, and legal entities performing water management or environmental tasks. Private organisations and NGOs are generally not eligible. The geographic scope is restricted to transitional and coastal waters of Lower Saxony as defined under EU directives, with initial focus on the Ems estuary and a requirement that approaches be transferable to other estuarine systems. The programme is administered on a rolling basis through NLWKN. For the marine-conservation profile, this programme is moderately relevant as it funds habitat restoration (seagrass, tidal ecosystems) in the North Sea coastal zone. However, it is restricted to public-law bodies. For OPF-v2 and plastic-circular profiles, there is no thematic connection to plastic waste value chains, marine litter, or recycling.

Why it was added

Official foerderdatenbank listing for NDS transitional and coastal waters project funding

Sources

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