Twelve individual nature reserves preserve the uniqueness, diversity and beauty of the Hamburg Elbe. The NSG Auenlandschaft Norderelbe has existed since 2010, which was significantly expanded in 2016 and has since been renamed NSG Auenlandschaft Obere Tideelbe. It extends from the bridge of the A1 motorway to the Bunthausspitze with a size of 222 hectares. Included are parts of the North Elbe, the Dove-Elbe below the Tatenberg lock and the entire tide-dependent foreland of reed beds and valuable alluvial forests up to the foot of the dyke. The sub-areas in detail are: the foreland around the Bunthäuser Spitze, the water area of the Norderelbe, the filter basins on the southern Billwerder Insel, the Spadenländer Spitze and Kreetsand. Due to the power of the tides and the tidal range of up to 3.5 meters, the shape of the foreland is subject to constant change. This ensures that only highly specialized, adaptable animal and plant species can live here permanently. The floodplains are home to a number of rare plant and animal species that are worthy of protection. A cormorant colony has developed here, oriole, white-tailed eagle and penduline tit are guests, it is considered an important retreat, feeding, spawning and nursery area for around 40 species of fish and plants have settled here that are only found in Hamburg and Hamburg worldwide occur there in the tidal area such as the hemlock water fennel.