German ecological network legal base, scientific foundation and international context

Transcription

1 A future task in good hands German ecological network legal base, scientific foundation and international context Dr. Uwe Riecken Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) Bonn, Germany 9 th Pan-European Green Belt Conference 1 st November 2016

2 Agenda Introduction Legal base Scientific foundation The importance of the Green Belt Implementation Outlook

3 What we don t mean I: Ruderal areas under electric pylon as stepping stone habitat in agricultural areas (after G. Klose).

4 What we don t mean II: much broader approach!

5 German Federal Nature Conservation Act German Ecological Network: legal obligation since 2002 (Art ) dimension: at least 10 % of the German territory transboundary approach (cooperation between the German Federal States obligatory) targets: protect all indigenous species, their populations, communities and habitats protect and regenerate functioning ecological interactions enhance coherence of Natura 2000

6 German Federal Nature Conservation Act components: national parks nature reserves Natura 2000 sites parts of biosphere reserves protected habitat types and additional sites (including parts of the national natural heritage, the Green Belt, nature parks and protected landscapes) but only if they meet the objectives! legal protection required but: no deadline for implementation by now

7 Identification of components of a national ecological network areas Responsibilities Objectives on national level Planning Implementation Constrains Outlook System of recommended common criteria for identifying components of ecological networks (2004) e.g. surface area ecological quality position and surrounding degree of dissection occurrence of target species R+D studies to identify core areas and corridors ( ) propose corridors of national relevance ( ) identify the most important interruptions ( )

8 Existing core areas of national relevance

9 Derivation of ecologiclal corridors Geographical basis: habitat mapping of the German Federal States (Bundesländer) Corine Landcover Simplified potential natural vegetation map

10 Derivation of ecologiclal corridors local scale regional scale I regional scale II national scale

11 Derivation of national ecological corridors (e.g. dry/nutrient poor habitats)

12 National ecological network: woodland habitats Forest core areas, other forest habitats corridors

13 Potential conflict sections with traffic infrastructure Corridor search areas Kind of infrastructure Number of conflict sections Dry open ecosystems Motorways 632 State highways Railways (2 tracks) Wet open ecosystems Motorways State highways Railways (2 tracks) Forest ecosystems Motorways State highways Railways (2 tracks) more details:

14 International connectivity I Responsibilities Objectives on national level Planning Implementation Constrains Outlook Workshop International linkages of ecological corridors in Germany Isle of Vilm 3 rd 5 th November, transboundary core areas and corridors corridors core areas

15 International connectivity II Responsibilities Objectives on national level Planning Implementation Constrains Outlook

16 Green Belt as core area(s) Green belt Protected areas Natura 2000

17 Green Belt as corridor

18 Ecological networks - responsibilities I Responsibilities Objectives on national level Planning Implementation Constrains Outlook Regional level (Bundesländer): legal provisions (State Nature Conservation Acts) state-wide planning implementation of ecological network implementation of the Habitats Directive (e.g. Art. 10) funding involvement of stakeholder organisations

19 Ecological networks - responsibilities II Responsibilities Objectives on national level Planning Implementation Constrains Outlook National level: legal framework (Art Federal Nature Conservation Act) national strategies (e. g. CBD) coordination / harmonisation (national / international) technical and scientific support (e.g. R+D-projects) mitigation of conflicts with national transportation infrastructure projects identification of National Natural Heritage Areas model projects of implementation

20 Implementation national level Transfer of 156,000 ha of federal estates to the Federal States, NGOs and the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) but also under direct management by BfN to be preserved as part of the National Natural Heritage: within the Green Belt former military training grounds former mining areas

21 Large scale conservation projects: e.g., Drömling (western part) core area: 42 km 2 duration: main habitats (e.g.): wet grasslands beech forests swamps small rivers Funding: 5.9 Mio.

22 German ecological network: Constrains No binding planning on national level (Only voluntary cooperation on a national level) Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) can only provide for technical and scientific advice and the funding of model implementation projects Some states (Bundesländer) without ecological network planning (e.g. Lower Saxony, Hesse) Even state-wide ecological planning often only recommendatory for local authorities No binding time frame for implementation National Biodiversity Strategy asks for implementation of an national ecological network by 2010 No special budget (or budget at all) for implementation of ecological networks

23 Ecological networks: Outlook The implementation of ecological networks is a legal obligation in Germany is much more than landscape decoration is orientated on ecological functions and includes development as major concept is a combination of needs and offers is an important backbone of species and habitat protection is based on a complete plan of core areas and corridors of national and international relevance is transboundary on different levels (regions, federal states, countries, EU, world) is an international challenge (migrating species, Natura 2000, PEEN etc.) may be an important approach for the conservation of biodiversity facing climatic change (adaptation and/or mitigation strategy)

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25 A future task in good hands Thank you for your attention! Paljon kiitoksia! Dr. Uwe Riecken Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Bonn, Germany