The Lutter, a largely near-natural flowing water system, covers a stretch of 23 kilometres between Hanover and Uelzen. It comprises a typical animal and plant community of oligotrophic streams and their adjoining habitats with a wide range of highly specialised flora and fauna which includes freshwater pearl mussels, European otter and black stork. The surrounding, mostly forest-covered valley areas are populated by alder and birch carr forests, wet shrublands and small-scale, acid-loving deciduous forests. Nutrient-poor soil gives rise to peat substrates, quaking bogs, heather moors and anmoor humus near the uppermost reaches of the stream. 

The aim of the project was to convert the affected sections of the Lutter and its adjoining waters to as near-natural a state as possible. Apart from acquiring the land, activities included measures to remove pine afforestation, laying of sand traps, renaturalisation of fish ponds and extensification of farmed land.