Since the nature reserve ‘Lüneburger Heide’ includes both valuable nutrient-poor open biotopes and a large share of forests, it is necessary to develop strategies to link these open habitats, particularly in view of their importance for nature conservation. Initially developed for the nature reserve ‘Lüneburger Heide’ these strategies have been transferred onto regional level within the establishment of the ‘landscape framework plan’ for the county. Major linking structures are forests of light demanding trees and the largest possible share of open structures.