One year of the Nature Restoration Law: The German government must become a nature conservationist / BUND presents a concept for restoration councils: Dare to embrace more nature

Berlin (ots) - - Condition of forests, moors, and rivers is worrying - Establish restoration councils to increase acceptance of nature conservation - National restoration plan requires ambitious contributions from the federal states Over 70 percent of all protected habitats in Germany and 80 percent in Europe are in poor condition. Animal and plant species disappear every day, habitats are destroyed or fragmented, soils are sealed, moors are drained, and rivers are straightened. We are losing important natural services: clean water and air, pollination, fertile soils, protection from droughts and floods. And, last but not least, intact habitats for recreation. By 2030, Germany must make significant progress in restoring near-natural habitats. This is required by the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (Nature Restoration Regulation), which came into force a year ago. As one of the largest national nature conservation organizations, the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) is presenting a concept for the public participation at the state level required by the ordinance on the anniversary of the Nature Restoration Law. Olaf Bandt, Chairman of BUND, said: "We are celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Restoration Ordinance. The law is the most important initiative in European nature conservation in more than 30 years – a lifeline for nature. Only healthy soils, clean water, and intact habitats secure our future. At the same time, we are bitterly disappointed by the lack of publicly visible progress in its implementation and the obstructionist stance of agricultural ministries and land use associations. The federal government must act. Only through close cooperation between all relevant stakeholders can this milestone contribute to preserving our livelihoods." Restoration councils are central to the acceptance of nature conservation projects. The United Nations has dubbed the current decade the "Decade for Ecosystem Restoration" for good reason: the climate crisis, habitat loss, and species extinction require ambitious action. Damaged ecosystems such as forests, moors, rivers, or the North and Baltic Seas require revitalization. A key component for implementing the regulation is the involvement of the public and all relevant stakeholder groups. In BUND's experience, such roundtables demonstrably increase the acceptance of nature conservation projects. They strengthen civil society participation and improve public awareness of the restoration of habitats and ecosystems. Last but not least, they help resolve conflicts of interest, for example, with stakeholders in agriculture and forestry. BUND emphasizes that all measures are voluntary and that the limited implementation effort lies with the administrations. Bandt: "Renaturation councils can build trust, promote transparency, and defuse conflicts at an early stage. Effective participation of conservationists, land users, science, and civil society is essential. We call for the establishment of restoration councils as a productive format that can discuss and decide on key aspects of effective restoration measures and indicators." Other EU Member States as Pioneers: The implementation of the Restoration Ordinance in Sweden, the Czech Republic, Portugal, and the Netherlands exemplifies the effectiveness of participatory processes. These countries, in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, are initiating ambitious measures to restore impaired habitats. They are thus taking important steps toward preserving biodiversity and achieving European environmental goals. Bandt: "The Netherlands and Sweden are showing Federal Ministers Carsten Schneider and Alois Rainer how it's done. We call on them to provide a uniform nationwide impetus. The progress made in the preparation of both national restoration plans demonstrates that effective nature conservation and economic development can go hand in hand and sends a strong signal to Germany and other member states." National Restoration Plan and Transparency in the Approach: BUND criticizes the Federal Government's previous communication and the lack of willingness of some federal states to implement the Restoration Ordinance. It is in the prime ministers' interest to halt species extinction, slow climate change, and improve our quality of life. This requires ambitious contributions from the federal states to the German Restoration Plan. Bandt: "For intact habitats and healthy ecosystems, we need a more transparent approach to developing the National Restoration Plan, rather than secret agreements behind closed doors. BUND calls on the federal government and the federal states to finally give top priority to preserving our livelihoods. A national restoration plan from the federal and state governments is needed as soon as possible, one that adequately promotes and comprehensively implements measures." Background: With the EU Restoration Regulation, Germany commits to making significant progress in restoring destroyed habitats by 2030. The regulation sets clear targets for different habitats: At least 20 percent of the land and sea area in the EU is to be restored by 2030. In the long term, nature should recover in all habitats: in the sea and on the coast, in rivers and floodplains, in open land, in moors and forests, and in urban green spaces. Restoration should help stop species extinction, slow climate change, and improve our quality of life. By 2050, 100 percent of this area should be restored. The German Advisory Council on the Environment and the Scientific Advisory Board on Biodiversity (http://www.umweltrat.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/04_Stellungnahmen/2020_2024/2024_08_Aktualisierung_Renaturierung.pdf) identify the following five key factors for an effective national restoration policy: participatory and transparent engagement processes for broad acceptance of measures, qualitative and quantitative restoration targets at the national level, better coordination with other user interests, organizational and legal frameworks, and an attractive design of voluntary measures. In this spirit, BUND calls for the establishment of restoration councils. These councils should advise on implementation issues and promote cooperation between relevant stakeholders from administration, science, land use, nature conservation, and civil society. This exchange serves to resolve conflicts, increase acceptance during implementation, and increase public awareness and visibility of restoration projects. Structure and Composition of Restoration Councils: The Restoration Councils advise on proposals for targeted indicators, measures, and areas as contributions from the federal states to the German Restoration Plan. They consist of: - Representatives of state and local administrations, - Representatives of water management and soil associations, - Representatives of agricultural and forestry associations, - Representatives of nature conservation and environmental associations, - Scientists (e.g., from universities, research institutes), - Representatives of the youth and climate movement (e.g., youth parliaments). Tasks and Mandate: The Restoration Councils act in an advisory and coordinating capacity. Their main tasks: - Strategic planning: Participation in the preparation and updating of restoration plans; - Prioritization: Development of criteria for selecting restoration areas with high ecological and societal benefits; - Conflict moderation: Early involvement of interest groups to identify and resolve potential conflicts of use; - Monitoring and impact assessment: Supporting evaluation processes and integrating citizen science; - Public relations: Strengthening social support through transparent communication. Benefits for politics and administration: Increased efficiency: Early involvement reduces implementation barriers and planning delays; - Promoting acceptance: Shared responsibility creates trust and reduces resistance; - Legal certainty: Participation structures reduce the risk of legal disputes; - Innovation: Synergies between practice, administration, and science increase the effectiveness of measures. More information: - BUND on habitats (https://www.bund.net/lebensraeume/eu-wiederherstellungsverordnung/) and on the Restoration Ordinance - Successful BUND renaturation projects: Green Belt (https://www.bund.net/gruenes-band/), Elbe floodplains (https://www.bund.net/fluesse-gewaesser/lebendige-elbauen/) and dike relocation (https://www.bund.net/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/detail/news/bund-und-bfn-stellen-evaluation-der-ersten-grossen-deichrueckverlegung-vor-1/), Diepholz Moorland (https://www.bund.net/spenden-und-unterstuetzen/unsere-spendenprojekte/spendenprojekt-moorschutz/wir-schuetzen-moore-im-ganzen-land/), Dogger Bank (https://www.bund.net/spenden-und-unterstuetzen/unsere-spendenprojekte/spendenprojekt-moorschutz/wir-schuetzen-moore-im-ganzen-land/), Orchards - BUND Magazine with the cover story on the Restoration Regulation: Dare to embrace more nature (https://www.bund.net/service/publikationen/detail/publication/bundmagazin-3-25) - Maquard et al. (2025): Underpinning the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (http://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70121): five success factors for effective measures in the Member States. Restoration Ecology. - Contact: Matthias Goerres, Team Leader Habitats and Nature Conservation Policy Officer, Tel.: +49 30 27586595, Email: [email protected]; You can also find the BUND Federal Association on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/bund.net), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bund_bundesverband/), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bund.bundesverband). With around 674,000 members and supporters, the German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) is one of Germany's largest environmental organizations. For 50 years, it has been committed to, among other things, organic farming, climate protection, the protection of endangered species, forests, and water. Financed through donations and membership fees, BUND is independent of politics and business. Press contact: BUND Press Office: Editor-in-Chief | Daniel Jahn | Sigrid Wolff | Clara Billen | Lara Dalbudak Tel. +49 30-27586-109 | -531 | -497 | -425E-Mail: [email protected], www.bund.netwww.bund.net/presseInformation on BUND's data processing according to the GDPR can be found at www.bund.net/datenschutzOriginal content from: BUND, transmitted by news aktuellOriginal report: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/7666/6098090