Endless dispute over Kressbronner Uferweg: Are the residents giving up?

Endless dispute over Kressbronner Uferweg: Are the residents giving up?

In Kressbronn on Lake Constance, a dispute over the planned riverside path has been raging for more than two decades, and it has now taken a new turn. The Sigmaringen administrative court has dismissed the lawsuits from residents who mobilized against the dumping of gravel in front of their properties. They are concerned with preserving their private riverside landscape, which they see as endangered by the renaturation measures. The judges decided that the planning approval decision for the riverside path was legal and thus confirmed the plans to create a publicly accessible path on the banks of Lake Constance. Südkurier reports that the court decision still needs to be justified in writing, but the basic tenor is already clear.

This move is part of a comprehensive restoration project aimed at strengthening the riparian ecosystem and improving access. The situation on Lake Constance is complex: with a length of 63 km and a total shoreline length of 273 km, 155 km of which is in Baden-Württemberg, access to the water is historically often restricted. Many sections of the riverbank are in private hands, which has led to tensions between residents and public interests. SWR emphasizes that residents' fears that the filling will damage their properties are not unfounded.

The challenges of renaturation

The planned renaturation involves the removal of walls, jetties and smaller private harbors in order to better showcase nature. Martin Wessels, the head of the Lake Research Institute, emphasizes that these walls block the exchange between lake and land areas, which negatively affects biodiversity. The aim of the measures is to create a natural environment and to make Lake Constance more accessible to the public. But not everyone involved sees the matter so optimistically: critics warn of the long-term consequences of the gravel filling, which could potentially endanger valuable habitats on the banks. BUND Friedrichshafen reports on studies that have shown that gravel deposited by currents and waves endangers the visibility of important habitats.

Although the poor accessibility of the shores of Lake Constance has often been criticized in the past, the implementation of the riverside path in Kressbronn is now seen as an attempt to create a clear structure and access for the public. It remains to be seen how residents will react to the latest court decision. The full reasons for the judgment are expected in the next few weeks and could herald the next round in this lengthy process. The matter remains tense for residents as they still have the opportunity to seek legal redress.