wedo_competence-center - Homepage Digitize the Planet

Competence:

the ability to do
something well

Digitize the Planet sees itself as a competence center for data management for digital visitor guidance.

This results in the following task: collection and digital processing of information on regulations concerning behavior in nature.

This information includes:

Descriptions of protected areas,
rules,
behavioral guidelines,
agreements and
conservation guidelines.

The information can be found on international, national, regional, and local levels.

The goal: to make the right information available to all outdoor enthusiasts in a timely manner.

The journey has already begun before departure:

Digital information reaches guests before they leave for their destination.
Digital visitor guidance is the tool to steer guests at the proper time, during their planning phase.
Timely accessibility is ensured by a format that can be integrated into any system.
As Open Data, the data collected and georeferenced by DtP is freely available.
An international network supports the dissemination of the data.

Digitization in nature conservation – laws and framework conditions

(EU – D – Federal States)

For the digitization of the rules and regulations of natural areas, their sources and form first need to be identified. Administrations, nature conservation, and politics are increasingly networked across borders. This can be seen in the ways in which different laws and categories of protected areas interact with each other. Special attention is paid to the different levels and hierarchies. This is fundamental to the evaluation of systemic and specific impacts digitization has on recreational use and nature conservation.

Basics of rule research

What laws exist?

Who is responsible for design and implementation?

On which political levels are laws created?

Where do they influence outdoor recreation?

Europe | EU

There are more than 26,000 protected areas in Europe. The Natura 2000 network is the basis of the EU nature protection policy.

These directives set the framework for the characteristics of the areas.

Firstly, national legislation defines rules for recreation in nature.

Two directives are of outstanding importance in the EU:

Habitats Directive (1992)

The aim is to preserve wild living animals (approx. 200) and plants (approx. 500), as well as their natural habitats (approx. 200) Protected areas with a sustainable development concept, are to be designated as such

Birds Directive (1997)

The aim is the long-term conservation of all wild bird species (181 endangered species and subspecies in need of special protection) in the EU Special protection areas are to be established, in particular for the protection of migratory birds.

Germany

In Germany, two laws have a major influence on the recreational use of nature: the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the Federal Forest Act. In special areas, laws such as the Water Resources Act or Hunting Act play a role in the use of nature.

For the rules on the use of nature, the state legislations and their amendments, as well as supplements, have to be taken into account.

Two directives are of outstanding importance in Germany:

Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG)

Chapter 7 deals with recreation in nature and landscape:

• Permission to enter the open countryside on roads and paths and unused land for recreation.

• Detailed or activity-specific restrictions on the use of nature for recreation are not defined

• Significant impairments of nature and landscape are to be avoided as a matter of principal

• Objectives of nature conservation are defined in general terms

• Definition of the goals and tasks of the various protected areas: in nature reserves and national parks, the focus is on the protection of nature and thus, given compatibility, the use by recreationists is defined as an option and not as a fundamental right

The Federal Nature Conservation Act can be supplemented or also modified by the Federal States in their legislation.

Federal Forest Act (BWaldG)

Grants authority to the states and specifies that they regulate certain details.

Permission to enter the forest for recreational purposes

Cycling, wheelchair access, and horseback riding are allowed only on roads and paths

The right of access may be restricted by special functions of forest and landscape (e.g. protective forest).

Federal States

Entry for recreational purposes is permitted in all state nature conservation laws and forest laws.
Certain functions of landscape and forest can lead to restrictions, e.g. protected areas, forestry.
The prohibition of fire and camping in the forest is made explicit as a rule at the state level.
Attention: Rules for the use of different trials show considerable differences in the state legislation:
- Baden-Württemberg: “2-meter rule” as minimum width for cycling.
- Nordrhein-Westfalen: fixed paths (surface condition) for cycling.

Protected areas – Categories

INT | EU | D | Federal States

For the preparation and digitization of rules from federal and state laws, different categories of areas are to be presented in a uniform format. Protected areas, which are characterized by the rules in place for their use, are in focus. They serve to protect sensitive and rare natural habitats.

What are the protected areas?
What are their special functions?
Who manages areas and information at what levels?

Numerous categories of nature and landscape conservation areas are intended to guarantee the long-term protection of nature, related ecosystem services, and cultural value (IUCN definition 2008). International agreements for the protection of special natural areas reflect these different categories as well as their respective functions as protected areas, for example, at national levels.

Use rules and restrictions vary significantly across the different categories of protected areas. In the context of recreational use, protected areas with regulations for recreation are decisive. These are to be presented to the end-user.

Local, specific features characterize individual protected areas. To meet the specific requirements of each area, special ordinances define the rules of each protected area. For information on rules, these ordinances are the most important sources.

International protected area categories

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

The World Conservation Union is an association of states as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations active in the field of nature conservation.

Important functions:
• Determining the responsibilities of the members
• Advisory activities in environmental law and the designation of UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites
• Maintenace of the Red List of Threatened Species
• Establishment of six global management categories, a standard for comparability and quantification of protected areas.

The ICUN categories are not explicitly considered in the Federal Nature Conservation Act.

UNESCO Model Region: Biosphere Reserve

A global network of protected areas to promote a sustainable and balanced relationship between man and the biosphere.

The International Guidelines (BfN) define functions of biosphere reserves (UNESCO 1996) as:

• Protection: contributing to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity;
• Development: promoting economic and human development that is socioculturally and ecologically sustainable;
• Logistic support: promoting demonstration projects, environmental education and training, research, and environmental monitoring in the context of local, regional, national, and global issues of conservation and sustainable development.

Biosphere reserves are designated as protected areas in Germany and are included in the Federal Nature Conservation Act. In this context, they are to fulfill the requirements for nature reserves and landscape conservation areas to a large extent.

A further international classification for the protection of nature: 

European protected area categories

The Natura 2000 network is the main EU-wide instrument for nature conservation. Two EU directives oblige member states to protect important habitats for fauna and flora as well as biodiversity.

FFH areas
(Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive)

The aim is to safeguard and protect wild species and their habitats. These are to be networked throughout Europe to promote ecological interrelationships as well as natural dispersal and recolonization processes.

European bird sanctuaries

The objective is the conservation of all wild bird species native to the European territory of the Member States […]. These are to be protected, managed, and regulated. In addition, the use of these species is regulated. Birds, their eggs, nests, and habitats are protected.

These categories of protected areas are designated by the member states and protected by national law. Germany implements this differently at the state level: some states designate the areas as landscape conservation areas or nature reserves. Others list them as special protection areas or include a prohibition of deterioration for the areas in the state nature conservation law.

=> The rules for Natura 2000 sites result from the national or country-specific designation as protected areas.

Other European protected areas

Biogenetic Reserve (Special Protection Area Award)
Natural Forest Reserve
Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance
Emerald Areas

German protected area categories

Germany is home to many different protected areas, which have a wide variety of uses and objectives and are reflected in the rules for recreation in these areas:

National Park | Nature Reserve

The strictest protection and the most extensive rules apply to nature reserves and national parks. The core zones are subject to special protection. The focus is on development undisturbed by man. Especially in national parks, human interference and disturbance must be avoided. Therefore, strict rules apply to recreation as in addition to protection, access should still be made possible.

National nature monument

National nature monuments are protected similarly to nature reserves and national park core zones. These represent a special value for culture or science and are often smaller in area.

Protected Landscape Area

With protected areas covering 26% of the total area of Germany, landscape conservation areas are the largest category of protected area classification. They serve to protect areas that are particularly cultivated and used by humans as recreational areas. Restrictions on recreational use are lower than in other protected categories.

Nature Park

Nature parks serve recreation, regional development, and nature protection. They usually include landscape conservation areas and nature reserves. This combination allows for both environmental education offers as well as tourist offers.

Natural monument

Natural monuments are naturally formed landscape elements that are placed under nature protection. It can be a single object (tree, rock tower) or a limited area.

Protected landscape element

This category usually protects small-scale objects of a landscape (e.g. avenues, scattered orchards). Natural monuments differ in that they are naturally occurring landscape elements such as individual trees, caves, or rock outcrops.

The distinction between natural monuments and protected landscape elements

Natural monuments have arisen naturally, protected landscape elements have been created.

Game reserve | game resting zone

The hunting laws of the federal states and not the Nature Conservation Act regulates game reserves. The aim is to protect and preserve game species. In most cases, these are small areas that are often subject to seasonal rules and prohibitions on entering. The Bavarian hunting law specifies the seasonal protection periods for various species. This results in the corresponding regulations.

Eyrie protection zone

Similar to game protection areas, these are very small areas such as nests and eyries of special bird species. Designation and regulations differ from country to country. There are bans on entering as well as bans on hunting.

Water protection area

The Water Resources Act is the normative basis for water protection areas. These serve to secure the water supply and are designated by the federal states. The main motive is the prevention of water pollution, especially for important drinking water reservoirs. The areas are divided into 3 zones and provided with certain rules.

Further information on protected areas in Germany is provided by the website of the National Natural Landscapes.

Local agreements

If legally established rules do not provide sufficient protection, local agreements can supplement them. This is based on dialogues between all interest groups. Conflicts between users, for example from nature conservation, agriculture, and nature sports, can be identified by local actors specific to the location and use. Based on this, effective and adapted agreements can be made to protect nature.  Simple and small-scale agreements between stakeholders can prevent or reduce conflicts. Agreement among all stakeholders on the use of land and trails can lead to targeted and balancing conflict resolution. The “Respect Your Boundaries” campaign can be cited as an example.

Main actors of local agreements

Communities
Landowners
Alpine clubs
Tourism associations
Hunters and hunting associations
Forestry authorities

Natue conservation
Sports associations
Politics
Local sportsmen/ local people
Agriculture
Alpine farming
…

Preconditions for regional acceptance and successful implementation

Extensive participation of all stakeholders and their local representatives who know the area in question and its use;
Local identification of the conflict area that requires the smallest possible intervention in the existing regulation and achieves the greatest possible positive effect for all parties involved;
Transparency and communication around the creation process are the basis of the traceability of the voluntary regulation; the possibility of participation is given;
The local agreement is to be published in analog and digital form on all important channels. This ensures that local as well as non-resident users are reached;

Only what is accepted locally can also function on the supraregional level.