Protected area

Protected areas in nature and landscape protection are areas whose protection goods are components of nature or landscape. The protection status should help the special function of these areas or landscape components, such as the habitat function for endangered animals and plants, to secure. There are several categories of protected areas, which differ mainly for protection purpose, legal basis and the relevant management level.

• 4.1 Germany
• 4.2 Austria 4.2.1 Legal regulations in Austria
• 4.2.2 protected area categories in Austria

Introduction

An internationally accepted definition is that of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN):

"A protected area is a CLEARLY defined geographical space, Recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective Means, to achieve achievement the long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values ​​. "

" A reserve is a clearly defined geographical space, which is intended through legal or other effective means, dedicated and managed, to achieve long -term protection of natural and associated ecosystem services and cultural values. "

This definition is considered to be a modern and precise formulation of the concept.

As a nature reserve areas are reported frequently, which are for the preservation of animal and plant life, often for scenic and erdkundliche idiosyncrasies of meaning. The aim is to provide plant - like species throughout their range under protection. As a conservation areas as well as areas to be expelled if they, because of their uniqueness or special beauty apply scientific or natural history reasons worthy of protection. Apart from protecting the habitats of endangered animal and plant species ( habitat protection ) are often ' is also about biotopes ( habitat protection ), such as moorland, heaths, mountain ranges or forests. You are playing in cultural landscape and cultural heritage protection ( Unless this Umwelt-/Naturschutzbelange concerns ), and the protection of natural resources and conditions that prevent natural hazards.

Traditionally, a distinction in the interests of environmental protection - as in the nature of protection of nature against the people - and environmental protection - as protection of people from hazards in nature - have been common for modern concepts consider both no longer separate, but interdependent and interconnected ( biosphere thought). So take the protection of natural resources compared to classical nature reserves on an ever wider space in the declaration of protected areas. The concept of nature is changing, while in the mid-20th century concepts of protection " unspoiled " nature were in the foreground (which is in search of a wilderness as the " granddaddy" of nature as largely unsuccessful out), is now the man as understood part of nature, and man-made landscapes and habitats seen as equally high Protected as untouched as human need - and an economic factor to obtain conservation also affordable.

The concept of protected areas covers both those based on public law, as well as private law contracts or voluntary self-commitment: Central property in accordance with the IUCN is a protected area management and effective action of a conservation area, and - at least in intention - sustainability. The definition of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, Convention on Biological Diversity, which forms the basis in international law of the world's most protected areas), "a geographically defined areaswhich is designated or regulated and managed to achieve achievement specific conservation objectives" remains, to the effect somewhat non-specific, and includes the designated areas as well as equipped with effective regulative. That much weight is placed on a management plan in the modern environmental protection and nature conservation, is that in the past many protected areas were indeed prescribed legally, but without any definition of protection goals and measures, so that they present no effective protection means in practice. In many less developed countries is often unclear whether and to what extent a nominal reserve actually exists as such, or just an expression of will represented. While in Europe environmental protection and nature conservation is traditionally seen as a sovereign function, and protected areas are usually prescribed by law, or at least based on promotions and compensation from the public sector, private protected areas are, for example, widespread in North America. Here specially established foundations (funds ) is of patrons and sponsors in the form of purchased land, and statutes in accordance taken to the right of the owner of opening up all kinds distance without worrying about government programs. In the U.S. for example, there are 1500 such areas with nearly 40,000 km ². In Africa, the bestfunktionierensten sanctuaries partly private landlordism.

At national and international levels take numbers and areas of protected areas continuously. So 23% of the area is designated as protected areas such as in EU - Europe (as of 2005 ) are 114,000 sites of the UN / IUCN recognized that cover about 13 % of the Earth around the world. There are also large-scale protected areas, as are about in the Alps 24 % of the area of legal protection areas in the strict sense covers more great shares by non-specific protection ex lege completely covered (such as the glaciers and high alpine regions as such), and the region of the Alpine Convention that requires a number of measures. In this increasingly focus is on the networking of areas to avoid island locations of individual protected areas to bundle the local efforts and harmonize and promote cross-regional and cross-border corridors.

International databases and classification

The UN List of Protected Areas (UN list of protected areas ) is that of the Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas ( CNPPA ) and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the United Nations -run World Register of Protected Areas ( Within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP).

The IUCN performs internationally standardized categorization of protected areas, which refers to the character of the protected area management. It is supervised by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Under Organization Areas ( WCPA ). This system is also used list of protected areas in the creation of the UN.

Global 200 is a global classification of ecoregions by WWF, they are on the state and protection requirements ( Conservation Risk Index, CRI ) in critical, endangered, vulnerable, relatively stable or intact divided. In addition, 19 Priority Places detected.

International Reserves

United Nations

The protected area projects of the United Nations under the leadership of UNESCO:

• Biosphere Reserve (BR, International Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, Man and Biosphere - MAB) → List of Biosphere Reserves
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites (World Heritage Site, WHS, in particular the natural heritage (World Heritage nature ), today various categories; UNESCO World Heritage Committee ) → UNESCO World Heritage List
• Important Plant Area (IPA ) of the Convention on Biological Diversity methodological concept of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation ( Global strategy for the protection of plants), a new category of protected area, is applied to existing otherwise protected areas
• Protected wetlands ( Ramsar, RG ), especially for the protection of shorebirds and waterfowl, due to the Ramsar Convention

Under the Environmental Programme (UNEP ) are located:

• Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area in the High Seas ( EBSA ), a begriffenes in building program
• Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife in the Wider Caribbean Region ( SPAW ) to implement the Cartagena Convention for the Caribbean Area ( Designation of Areas: Protected Area PA and Wildlife Reserve WR)

For worldwide Categories

There are a number of international categories, including certifications, associations, contractual protected areas or Bedarfsfestellungen international organizations only partially legal liability have ( protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity definition):

• Key Biodiversity Area (KBA ) - an international framework for detection and multiple scientific projects (IBA, IPA, EBSA, AZE, etc. )
• Indigenous and community conserved area (ICCA ) - established by the IUCN as beudetende habitats of indigenous peoples, led by UNEP WCMC Registry ICCA
• Freshwater Key Biodiversity Area ( FWKBA ) - befindliches in construction program of the IUCN -SSC
• Protected Area Network of Parks ( PANPark ) - Certification by the initiated by the WWF network which are aligned on a combination of wilderness concept and tourist offer (corresponding to Nationalpark-/Naturpark-Konzepten )
• Centre of Plant Diversity (CPD ) - determined by IUCN and WWF areas with special protection needs for plants ( nationally often implemented as a core zone of a protected area )
• WWF Nature Reserve - directly operated by the WWF 's conservation areas, it is covered by nature conservation agreement ( commitment of the landowner ).
• Important Bird Area and Endemic Bird Area are determined by BirdLife because of them geführenten Red List of endangered birds territory without direct legal protection. They usually serve ( authentic) as the basis for national bird sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries about European ( informal), SPAW in Caribbean Countries

European programs for protected areas

The Berne convention:

• Natura 2000, a network of protected areas under Community law: FFH after Fauna-Flora -Habitat Directive (BBG / SCI / SAC; Directive 92/43/EEC )
• European bird sanctuary by the Birds Directive (SPA / SPA, RL 79/409/EEC )

The two Directives require Member States to report conservation worthy areas to the European Commission ( Site of Community Importance respectively Special Protection Area ), and to perform in a National List of Natura 2000. After the state is to meet its reporting obligations, the area ( Proposed Sites of Community Importance pSCI ) is considered as a proposal for Community list of EU. After examination and selection by the EU, they seem to be binding on the Community list and Site of Community Importance ( SCI) called. Subsequently, then those areas are designated, in which the protective provisions of the EU Directives must be applied, and these are called Special Area of Conservation (SAC, Special Protection Areas of European interest ). Special Protection Area ( SPA Special Protection Area SPAs ) are called special protection areas under the Birds Directive. The Emerald network, such as Natura 2000 the Berne Convention obliges, but voluntarily or preparing to implement an extension to EU and Associated candidate countries that are not bound by the Guidelines, their system.

Other special areas of conservation (some contractual nature, scope, fixed -position, research or award programs ):

• European Biogenetic Reserve - European network of biogenetic reserves, an initiative of the Council of Europe on the implementation of the Bern Convention )
• European Diploma of Protected Areas (European Diploma for Nature Conservation, European Diploma ) - Award of the Council of Europe, five year
• Europarc - Network of Community transnational nature parks
• Areas of the European Landscape Convention - Award of a landscape price by the Euro Europe)
• Nature Forest Reserve ( NWR ) - Research Network, supervised at European Forest Institute (EFI ), partly nationally binding classes
• Of the Alpine Convention - non-specific framework

With neighboring regions:

• Emerald areas ( Emerald Network, Area of Special Conservation Interests, ASCI, Special Protection Area ) - Adoption of the EU Natura 2000 concept by non-members
• Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance ( SPAMI ) - association of European bird sanctuaries with analogous areas of non-members in the Mediterranean
• Areas of the Mediterranean Landscape Charter - non-specific framework

National regulations for protected areas

Germany

Surface are sharp and durable reported by ordinance for each individual object:

• European protection areas Natura 2000 area ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 32)
• Protected landscape component ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 29)
• Spa sanctuary
• Conservation area ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 26)
• Marine Protected Area
• National Natural Monument ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 24)
• National Park ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 24 ) - ( List of national parks)
• Natural Heritage ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 28)

• Nature Park ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 27 ) - ( List of nature parks in Germany )
• Nature Reserve ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 23) total reserve

• Bannwald under state forest laws Baden -Württemberg and Bavaria
• Schonwald by State Forest Law § 32 Baden-Württemberg

By legal definition characteristic protected areas are:

• Legally protected biotope ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 30)
• Water bodies and riparian zones ( Federal Nature Conservation Act: § 31)
• Horst protection zone

According to its different definition and purpose to objects of different categories of protected areas may overlap. Often this occurs eg Natura 2000 sites and nature reserves, it is uncommon, however, for example, between nature reserves and natural monuments surface. Changes in the status of an object touching not automatically the status of an object other category on the same area, such as remains after deletion of a nature reserve received the status of his legally protected biotopes.

Austria

In Austria were reported at 2010, a total 1293 large and medium -scale protected areas. The end of 2000 were 1277 areas with an area of ​​17168.28 km ² protected. The total area of protected areas of all categories was given in 1998 with a thesis 21441.75 km ², and in 2010 the Federal Environment Agency with 35,840 km ², so you can assume that the total area of the protected area is detected an average of about two categories. The approximate doubling of the designated sites from 1998 to 2010 is primarily due to the increase in Europe and UNESCO - protected areas, which usually overlap with an already existing National Wildlife Refuge.

By 2001 20.5%, ie a fifth of Austrian territory were natural or landscape protected. In addition, however, there are two thirds of the country in which - not property-related - protection zone of the Alpine Convention.

Legal regulations in Austria

In Austria, the Länder are responsible for the arrangements in nature conservation. Therefore, there is for each country a separate conservation law (including its implementing regulations ), and no natural protection or conservation framework law of the federal government. Accession to international conventions for the protection of nature and landscape takes place - in agreement with the provinces - by the federal government, which also adopted the relevant laws. Only the national parks in Austria are regulated by federal law on individual laws, and are based on cooperation of the covenant with the countries concerned ( § 15a- contracts). The spatial data are available through the Austrian geodata composite Geoland and GIS offices of countries.

The objectives of the conservation laws are

• Protection of native flora and fauna and their habitats
• Protection of undisturbed and functional ecosystem
• Protection of the diversity, uniqueness, beauty and recreational value of nature and landscape.

The Austrian provincial nature conservation laws are:

• Burgenländisches nature protection and landscape conservation law (NG 1990)
• Carinthia's Nature Conservation Act 2002 ( K- NSG 2002)
• Lower Austrian Nature Conservation Act 2000 ( northeast NSchG 2000)
• Upper Austrian Nature and Landscape Protection Act 2001 ( Oö. NSchG 2001)
• Salzburg Nature Conservation Act 1999 ( NSchG 1999)
• Styrian Nature Conservation Act ( NSchG 1976)
• Tyrolean Nature Conservation Act 2005 ( TNSchG 2005)
• Law on Nature Conservation and Landscape Development - Vorarlberg ( GNL )
• Wiener Nature Conservation Act 1998 ( or the abbreviation )

In addition, the spatial planning laws, hunting and fishing laws, agricultural laws and the like of the relevant states, as well as numerous federal laws that intervene indirectly in the matter. In addition, are the common EU law and a wealth of international and intergovernmental agreements for the expulsions and the protected status of concern. These are sometimes quite effective, some declarations of intent and findings need to be covered on national protection categories. Accessions and the implementation of supranational protection of nature and landscape takes place - in agreement with the provinces - by the federal government.

Categories of protected areas in Austria

Categories of protected areas in Austria are:

• Quantity: large - and medium- scale protected areas ( with overlaps), without natural monuments and the Alpine Convention
• Surface: under protection Asked Area in km ²
• %: Percent of the country (about )

• Federal Law: Garden Monuments ( Monument Protection Act )
• National Parks ( individual National Park laws NP -G)

• European protected areas Natura 2000 sites ( Habitats, Birds, Wild - European Protected Areas ), Biogenetic Reserves, European Diploma areas; Protection of the Alpine Convention
• UNESCO: World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, Geoparks, Ramsar protected areas; IUCN: wilderness areas, COP: Important Plant Areas

• Areas of the cultural landscape inventory
• Areas of marsh protection catalog
• Protected biotopes
• Guns Caverns cave cadastre and state laws ( natural cave, show cave )
• Protected landscape elements
• Landscape protection areas
• Habitat protection areas ( non-object -related habitat protection )
• Natural monuments ( Physical Protection of individual phenomena )
• Nature Parks
• Nature Reserves
• Protected areas under ÖPUL - Austrian Programme for sustainable agriculture
• Protection forest ( forest reserve )
• Drinking water protection areas

• Austrian wetland inventory ( RAMSAR and others)
• Austrian glacier inventory ( glacier inventories, Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck and the Commission for Geophysical Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences)

Switzerland

The legal framework for nature conservation areas is set at the federal level by the Federal Law on Nature and Cultural Heritage (NCHA ) from 1 July 1966. In this Act the term ' nature reserve ' but not defined or even mentioned explicitly. This law states, in particular:

• ( Type 1) This Act has the purpose of ...
• To protect ( type 1a ) to conserve the heritage landscapes and townscape, the historical sites as well as the natural and cultural monuments in the country, and to promote their conservation and maintenance; ...
• (Art 1.d ) to protect the native flora and fauna and their biological diversity and its natural habitat; ...
• (Art 13.1) The Confederation may support conservation, cultural heritage protection and conservation by ensuring that the costs of conservation, the purchase, maintenance, research and documentation of sensitive landscapes, townscapes, historic sites or natural and cultural monuments contributions to a maximum of 35 percent ...
• (Art 13.3) The arranged protection and maintenance measures constitute public ownership restrictions (Art. 702 ZGB37 ). You agree to the respective landowners and are noted on registration in the Land Register of the Canton ...

From the discussion above it can be derived that are considered as state nature protection areas, areas of public - private ownership restrictions to preserve the indigenous flora and fauna, biodiversity and their natural habitat.

Many areas requiring protection and habitats are, however, not been established with such public- private ownership restrictions. These areas are listed in inventories. Inventory areas denote among other raised bogs, transition bogs, fens, amphibian spawning areas, meadows, dry meadows and dry pastures, etc., or all Natural Landscapes ( moorland, floodplains ), and classify them national, cantonal, regional or local significant according to specific criteria in objects. Inventories are authorities usually binding. In addition, there are also a variety of non-state nature reserves ( contractual nature conservation ). These are usually areas where private conservation organizations acquire land for conservation of nature and preserve it as owner. So is involved, for example, Pro Natura in Switzerland at over 600 nature reserves.

Nature Reserves are usually marked in the whole of Switzerland with the symbol of the owl. This symbol national to local major public - legally protected areas and nature reserves of ProNatura be signposted. Thus, the green owl symbol has become the Switzerland widely known common indicator for protected areas of all kinds.

Slovenia

Slovenia is an EU member and is represented in the main international bodies, therefore, find all international and EU Protected Areas: a UNESCO World Heritage ( Svetovna dediščina from which the Skocijan Caves World Heritage Site are ), Biosphere Reserve rezervat ( Biosferni, Biosferno območje, UNESCO Man and Biosphere, MAB - 3 areas), Ramsar site ( Ramsarska lokaliteta / območje, → list), wilderness area ( Divjino območje, IUCN), Natura 2000 sites (EU: FFH Spomenik oblikovane narave and Birds posebno Varstveno obmocje ) European Diploma regions ( Evropska diplomatically, EK, Triglav National Park ).

In Slovenia, we group under nature reserve ( Zavarovano območje ) in the section 3.3. § 53 ff Law for Conservation of Nature ( Zakon o ohranjanju narave - ZON ) regulated areas together:

• Sirsa zavarovano območje ( Large reserve ), § 67 ZON: → List Narodni park ( NP, ), § 69 ZON: 1, the Triglav National Park (IUCN II / V)
• Regijski park ( RP Regional Park ), § 70 ZON: 3 ( IUCN V / II)
• Krajinski park (KP, Landscape Park ), § 71 ZON: 44 (IUCN V)

• Sirsa zavarovano območje ( Small reserve) Naravni spomenik ( NS, natural monument ), § 64 ZON: about 1276
• Strogi naravni rezervat (SNR Strict Nature Reserve ), § 65 ZON: 1 ( IUCN I)
• Naravni rezervat (NR, Nature Reserve ), § 66 ZON: 54 (IUCN IV and I)

In addition, there are the following categories of protection:

• Naravne vrednot (NV, natural value ): ex lege protection § 4 and Section III ZON and prescribed RS 111/2004; it includes geotopes, mineral and fossil localities, karst formations, caves, canyons, glaciers and glacial forms, springs, waterfalls, rapids, lakes, bogs, streams and rivers, beach, animal and plant species, habitats, ecosystems, landscapes and designed landscape; at the 8000 Overview → Naravne vrednot so državnega Pomena ( natural value of national importance )
• Naravne vrednot so lokalnega Pomen ( natural value of local importance )