Rechtliche Sicherung des landschaftlichen Freiraums am Beispiel Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns Rechtliche Sicherung des landschaftlichen Freiraums am Beispiel Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns

Abstract

Large unfragmented areas still exist in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In Germany, such areas are protected by the aims and principles of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), the Protection of Nature Rule and by other national tools and acts. Due to their general character, these provisions have not slowed land consumption. Since 1971, concepts for ecological networks were developed through international law. Their transfer into European Law such as the implementation of Natura 2000 (i.e., the European Union Birds Directive of 1979 and Habitats Directive of 1992) was controversial in Germany. Due to the pressure applied by the European Commission (EC) on EU member states, the ecological network of protected areas that now covers about 19 per cent of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is sufficiently coherent. Based on the Convention on Biological Diversity, Article 3 BNatSchG prescribes a network of interlinked biotypes of national interest. The establishment of the network faces difficulties since German states are responsible for implementing it, but the federal government has no enforcing power comparable to that of the EC toward the EU member states. Large unfragmented areas still exist in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In Germany, such areas are protected by the aims and principles of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), the Protection of Nature Rule and by other national tools and acts. Due to their general character, these provisions have not slowed land consumption. Since 1971, concepts for ecological networks were developed through international law. Their transfer into European Law such as the implementation of Natura 2000 (i.e., the European Union Birds Directive of 1979 and Habitats Directive of 1992) was controversial in Germany. Due to the pressure applied by the European Commission (EC) on EU member states, the ecological network of protected areas that now covers about 19 per cent of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is sufficiently coherent. Based on the Convention on Biological Diversity, Article 3 BNatSchG prescribes a network of interlinked biotypes of national interest. The establishment of the network faces difficulties since German states are responsible for implementing it, but the federal government has no enforcing power comparable to that of the EC toward the EU member states.