How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony Webinar in the scope of the first global conference on approaches to avoid, minimise, restore, and offset biodiversity loss: “TO NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND BEYOND”, 3-4 June, 2014, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park Marianne Darbi, Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER) Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächen-Agentur)
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How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony.
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How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German
Impact Mitigation Regulation?
The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony
Webinar in the scope of the first global conference on approaches to avoid, minimise, restore, and offset biodiversity loss: “TO NO NET LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND BEYOND”, 3-4 June, 2014, Zoological Society of
London, Regent’s Park
Marianne Darbi, Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER)Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächen-Agentur)
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
Outline
1. Basic principles of the German Impact Mitigation Regulation
2. Legal and policy framework in the state of Saxony
3. “Sächsische Ökoflächen-Agentur” - compensation services provider in the state of
Saxony
4. “Burgberg Zschaitz” – remains of a prehistoric and early medieval hill fort
5. Selecting the site and securing the land
6. Assessing the environmental baseline
7. Setting the goals
8. Installing and approving the habitat bank
9. Implementing the measures
10. Securing the measures: maintenance and monitoring
11. Running the habitat bank and selling the credits
12. Lessons learned: key factors to success
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
1. Basic principles of the German IMR1
Impact Mitigation Regulation (“Eingriffsregelung”) is the major landscape
conservation instrument to address mitigation and compensation for impacts from
developments and projects in Germany:
entered into force as part of the Federal Nature Conservation Act 1976
comprehensive approach (for all impacts, on all scales, not restricted to
specific areas)
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
1. Basic principles of the German IMR1
2002 and 2009 amendments to the Federal Nature Conservation Act:
loosening of spatial and functional connection between impact and
compensation
compensation pools: provision and bundling of compensation sites and
measures
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
2. Legal and policy framework in the state of Saxony2
Saxon Law on Nature Conservation and Landscape Management SächsNatSchG, 2013
Art. 10 para. 2: Regulation of exemption from liabilities (“Freistellungsregelung”)
Available at: http://www.revosax.sachsen.de/Details.do?sid=5111430356025
Regulation of the Saxon State Ministry for Environment and Regional Development on the
balancing of interventions in nature and landscape (Naturschutz-Ausgleichsverordnung)
NatSchAVO,
Available at: http://www.revosax.sachsen.de/Details.do?sid=371123303329
Regulation of the Saxon State Ministry for Environment and Agriculture on the eco-account
and the compensation land register (Sächsische Ökokonto-Verordnung) SächsÖKoVO,
2008
Available at: http://www.revosax.sachsen.de/Details.do?sid=2301212391829
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
2. Legal and policy framework in the state of Saxony2
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
3. “Sächsische Ökoflächen-Agentur” - compensation services provider in the state of Saxony
was commissioned in 2008 by the Saxon State Ministry for
Environment and Agriculture in a public tender as compensation
services provider for the state of Saxony
SLS is the non-profit settlement organization in Saxony
Member of the Federation of compensation agencies in Germany
BFAD and is committed to its quality standards
Tasks
Implementation of measures for the creation and
improvement of terrestrial and aquatic habitats
Production-integrated compensation
Renaturation of sealed surfaces
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
3. “Sächsische Ökoflächen-Agentur” - compensation services provider in the state of Saxony
3 Range of services:
Building a habitat bank of compensation measures, implemented in advance
Procurement of own or third party compensation measures (or credits) to developers to fulfil their
compensation requirements
Support for developers with individual steps of the creation, procurement and safeguarding of their
own compensation measures, e.g.
Selection of measures
Planning: Description and definition of goals
Coordination with autorities
Planning of measures
Evaluation according to guidance
Implementation of measures
Application for entry in the eco-account
Safeguarding of maintenance
Follow-up and monitoring
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
4. “Burgberg Zschaitz” – remains of a prehistoric and early medieval hill fort
4
Location of the site: 72.000 sqm on a particularly prominent mountain spur in a very
fertile agricultural landscape (open landscape with few structural elements),
geographical scope of the site builds on both the archaeological and natural structures
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
4. “Burgberg Zschaitz” – remains of a prehistoric and early medieval hill fort
4
Once monumental Slavic castle
Already inhabited in prehistoric times (~4200 BC). :
Establishment of a fort on the plateau, exposed
location and natural protection by steep slopes, only
accessible from the east (transition to the plateau),
several artificial mounds offered protection here
Later, the castle was abandoned and the protection
systems disappeared on the surface
For centuries covered with forest
~1800 deforestation and conversion to arable land
Since 1950s loss of 0,6m soil through farming and
erosion
2009/10 extensive excavations of the State Office for
Archaeology (LfA): Burgberg Zschaitz is one of few
hill-top settlements in good condition in Saxony
(archaeological site) must be protected
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
5. Selecting the site and securing the land
5
Proposal of the State Association for the Conservation of the Cultural Heritage in
Saxony (LVSH) and State Office of Archaeology (LfA): protection of significant
archaeological structures at the same time enhancing the nature conservation value
of the area as habitat bank
Joint development of a concept with LVSH and LfA
2010 initial discussions for the implementation of the
measure with LVSH and the competent farmland consolidation
authority of the district Central Saxony
In early 2011 land consolidation authority invited to a
meeting of the land owners
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
5. Selecting the site and securing the land
5
Acquisition of land through land consolidation according to the Land Consolidation Act
FlurbG
Cooperation of the owners: a total of 17 agricultural land waiver declarations according to
Art. 52 FlurbG (5,3 ha), another 3 land parcels (2,6 ha) through a voluntary agricultural
exchange according to Art. 103a FlurbG
Through the possibilities of the FlurbG
the land could be acquired quickly and
easily. No costs occur for the notary,
land registry or survey of land for the
parties.
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
6. Assessing the environmental baseline
6
Intensive farming
Existing field path without accompanying greenery
Existing Forest without graded edge
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
7. Setting the goals
7
Goals
Networking of the Natura 2000 site "dolomite area Ostrava and Jahnatal" with the surrounding
landscape and neighboring specially protected biotopes through corridors of new grassland, wood
and dry habitats
Extensification of previously intensively used land and enhancing the landscape structure and
scenery through a small-scale mosaic of landscape elements
Creation of breeding and feeding habitats for species of semi-open agricultural landscapes, as well
as thermo-and helio-philic species (reptiles, insects such as mason bees, numerous beetles and
butterflies)
Creation of robust forest edges to buffer the existing forests against influences (wind, soil and
pollutants) and to improve and link the structural and species diversity
Creation of new transitional habitats (ecotones) with special habitat and development function
Protection from wind erosion
Protection of archaeological monuments
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
7. Setting the goals
7
Measures
Conversion to extensive
permanent grassland
Creating a graded edge of
the forest
Planting a fruit tree row
Creating a stone ridge and
nutricient-poor grassland
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
8. Installing and approving the habitat bank
8
Evaluating the nature conservation value of the initial and target state with the “Recommen-
dation for the assessment and balancing of interventions in Saxony” includes two aspects:
1. Calculation of the Biotope value gained through the measures (in credit points) on the
basis of biotope types
Before
After
Biotope type credits/m2 area in m2 biotope value in credits
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
8. Installing and approving the habitat bank
8
Evaluating the nature conservation value of the initial and target state with the “Recommen-
dation for the assessment and balancing of interventions in Saxony” includes two aspects:
2. Calculation of the functional enhancement (in credit points) for individual natural
functions
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
8. Installing and approving the habitat bank
8
Total enhancement in credit points is the
sum of biotope value gained and
functional enhancement
Sächsische Ökoflächen-Agentur sends
request to the competent Nature
Conservation Authority to approve the
compensations measures (presentation of
the objectives, planning and
implementation of measures, calculation
of credits)
Nature Conservation Authority checks the
request, approves the compensation
measures and specifies further detailed
regulations
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
9. Implementing the measures
9
On the previously intensively used arable land
extensive permanent grassland was created using
an endemic, herb-rich seed mixture. Through different
seed compositions flower strips are created that
highlight the archaeological structures of the early
medieval fortification.
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
9. Implementing the measures
9
With targeted planting of site-specific
indigenous trees a five-stage edge of the
forest was created, including a herb-rich
seam as a transition between the adjacent
existing forest and the open land. The
structural diversity offers a new habitat for
numerous species.
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
9. Implementing the measures
9
The planting of fruit trees rows (using regional
and historic varieties) between the forest edge
and an existing field hedge and along field paths
enhances habitat diversity and the preservation
of cultural diversity. Furthermore it has structures
the landscape and has aesthetic significance.
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
9. Implementing the measures
9
The landscape scenery is enhanced by building a
stone ridge, which highlights the design, size and
location of the former fortifications. In addition to
its cultural and historical significance this
thermophilic site has a high habitat potential for
rare animal and plant species.
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
9. Implementing the measures
9
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
10. Securing the measures: maintenance and monitoring
10
Maintenance
5-year Land Use Contract with the regional farming association (Sächsische
Ökoflächen-Agentur ensures maintenance of the measures for at least 25 years,
renewing or adjusting the land use contract accordingly over time)
financial reparations for extra costs, loss of earnings and agricultural funding
Cultivation of extensive permanent grassland to forage for dairy cows
Extensive fresh meadow with mowing 2x a year (06/07 and 08/09) with haymaking
No use of pesticides and fertilizers
Monitoring
Starts in 2014 after the development care, based on a concept (agreed with the
competent Nature Conservation Authority)
including floristic and faunistic surveys with annual reports
Goal: evidence of target biotope types with their typical species composition
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
11. Running the habitat bank and selling the credits
11
Compensation within the Natural Landscape Units: ~ 30 in Saxony
Established measures can be
fully or partly assigned as
compensation to one or more
development projects
Intervention and compensation
have to be in a functional
relationship and lie in the same
natural landscape unit
For large projects (interventions
with zoning / planning approval)
extension of the search area to
the planning region or river basin
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
11. Running the habitat bank and selling the credits
11
Compensation for the construction of two
wind turbines in the same natural landscape
unit
Assignment of points or a partial area of the
habitat bank by the competent Nature
Conservation Authority
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
11. Running the habitat bank and selling the credits
11
Calculating a price for the single credit – full costing (“Vollkostenkalkulation”) includes:
Project development
Estate (purchase price, surveys, certificates)
Implementation of measures (from environmental baseline to development care)
Project management
Project assignment
Maintenance administration (e.g. monitoring)
Maintenance of measures
Costing is a process that builds on balancing target values and actual values
Cost estimate at the beginning
quarterly compared with actual used resources
Inclusion of parameters such as securities, risk and bridge financing (decreasing or increasing
depending on the status of the project)
After each partial sale of credits the balance will be adjusted
Price for the single credit adjusts over time to the actual costs
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
12. Lessons learned: key factors to success
12
Clear legal regulation and policy guidance
Strong cooperation and agreement of compensation services providers on quality
standards and procedures (e.g. Federal Association of Compensation Agencies)
Regional cooperation with stakeholders
Strong cooperation with land owners and farmers: production-integrated
compensation reduces consumption of farming land for compensation (combining
environmentally sound cultivation with financial reparations for extra costs, loss of
earnings and agricultural funding)
Active land management (land purchase, land change, land consolidation) to
secure land with a high nature conservation value or potential
Land consolidation enables quick and easy land
acquisition without costs for the notary, land registry or
survey of land
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
12. Lessons learned: key factors to success
12
Implementation of larger, complex and high quality measures add to reaching state-
wide nature conservation goals and strengthen biotope networks and connectivity
Larger measures (10.000-20.000 sqm) are more cost-efficient to plan and implement
and deliver a higher nature conservation value than several small projects
Public acceptance through clear nature conservation goals including socioecological
aspects e.g. environmental education, aesthetic and recreational values
Stable, independent and not profit-oriented compensation services provider
enables the maintenance and safeguarding of the measures in perpetuity
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
12. Lessons learned: key factors to success
12
Obstacles on the way
advance financing as limiting factor
uncertainty (refinancing of sites and measures cannot be guaranteed)
need for trained personnel
Competition, lacking coordination and price dumping can have a negative effect
on the quality of the measures
lacking transparency and transferability (valuation techniques to balance impact
and compensation and cost calculation differ very much)
interaction with the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU (subsidies)
Unclear and uncertain administrative action and sometimes lacking engagement
of municipalities
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
12. Lessons learned: key factors to success
12
The cooperation and engagement of all stakeholders have made
the „Burgberg Zschaitz“ habitat bank a great success!
Marianne Darbi (IOER), Prof. Wolfgang Wende (IOER), Jörg Voß (Sächsische Ökoflächenagentur)How is a Habitat Bank established and maintained under the German Impact Mitigation Regulation? The example of the Burgberg Zschaitz Habitat Bank in Saxony, May 2014
Contact
Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional development (IOER)