© LFU
Schleswig-Holstein State Office for the Environment
Sustainably safeguarding the diversity, beauty and cultural uniqueness of our landscape
More than 450 employees at the State Office for the Environment (LfU) collect basic data and make it available for policy advice, planning and approvals. In addition, the LfU develops concepts and expert reports with the aim of preserving our natural assets in the long term.
The State Office for the Environment (LfU) is a higher state authority subordinate to the Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature (MEKUN) of the state of Schleswig-Holstein. More than 450 employees primarily collect fundamental environmental data and provide information for policy advice, planning and permissions. In addition, concepts and reports are developed with the aim of preserving our state's natural assets in the long term.
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Groundwater measuring point in Marienwarder
In addition to the General Department, the LfU comprises five Specialist Departments: Immission Control, Technical Environmental Protection, Geology and Soil, Nature Conservation and Waters.
Water is the basis of all life and water shapes our beautiful federal state in many different ways as well as our daily lives. In order to do justice to the various aspects of water, which is both a resource and a habitat, topics relating to water management and the water balance are dealt with in the Geology and Soil Department and more extensively in the Waters Department. This Department is subdivided into six units focusing on Technical Water Protection, Watercourse Ecology, Hydrology, Lakes, Groundwater Hydrology including Groundwater Protection and Coastal Waters.
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The Ocean Race Europe 2025
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Water sampling by a lake in Schleswig-Holstein
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Plankton sampling on the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic Sea
The Department acts as a point of contact for authorities, municipalities, associations, planning offices, companies and citizens.
The areas of responsibility include in detail:
• Development of basic principles for water management on
- 32,000 kilometers of watercourses and 500 lakes
- Groundwater bodies of over 15,000 square kilometers
- More than 3,800 square kilometers of coastal waters
• Implementation of European Directives
- Water Framework Directive
- Flood Risk Management Directive
- Marine Strategy Framework Directive
- Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive
- Urban Waste Water and Nitrates Directive
- Nature Restauration Law
• Assessment of the biological, chemical and physical status of water bodies
• Advice on water protection measures and water hazard management
• Data provision with specialist information systems
Protecting our seas
Schleswig-Holstein is the only German federal state that borders the North Sea and also the Baltic Sea and is responsible for the management and protection of the coastal seas (within the 12 nautical mile zone). This involves meeting the requirements of international marine protection agreements and of various EU directives.
In this context, the Department for Coastal Waters is responsible for key tasks including the regular monitoring and assessment of the environmental status of Schleswig-Holstein's North Sea and Baltic Sea. For this purpose, the state-owned waterway surveillance vessel HAITHABU is used.
Our investigations include hydrographic, chemical, acoustic, biological and hydromorphological measurements, which are carried out not only using vessels, but also with helicopter, divers or on foot in the mudflats.
Waterway surveillance vessel HAITBAU
© Uli Kunz
Seagrass meadow in the SH Baltic Sea
© Uli Kunz
Rocky bottom in the SH Baltic Sea with growth of red algae and sponges
In addition, we also use modern remote sensing methods to map the seabed in high resolution over a wide area, with the aim of comprehensively mapping the occurrence of valuable coastal habitats such as reefs, seagrass meadows and large algae populations and recording the temporal and spatial variability of these ecosystems.
With our algae early detection system, we provide information on the seasonal development of microalgae (phytoplankton) in the North Sea and Baltic Sea to indicate whether problematic algal blooms are developing near the coast.
We use our knowledge of marine ecology to provide advice or support measures in the event of interventions or threats. This includes construction projects as well as the dumping of dredged material and accidents involving pollutants.
Our work in moving pictures
The fascination of our local coastal waters combined with our exciting work is difficult to put into words. For this reason, we have produced a number of movies bringing both aspects together for both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
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