Skip to content

Space for wilderness and protected areas

Hirsch in der Wildnis

Providing more space for nature is good for biodiversity, climate protection and adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The Centre of Competence for Nature-based Climate Action (KNK) provides advice about measures that can be used to achieve this in Germany. 

Whether on land or in water: when nature is allowed to develop according to its own rules or if we care for it carefully to ensure that it is conserved or restored, then biodiversity flourishes. Near-natural forests, wetlands or grasslands are also effective carbon sinks and thereby help to provide nature-based solutions for climate action.

The state of play for wilderness and protected areas in Germany

Protected areas are one of our most important strategies for conservation. Protected areas offer a direct way to conserve both species and their habitats. There are various categories of protected area, which differ in terms of their conservation purpose, conservation targets and the restrictions that these goals place on their usage. The most important categories of protected area are nature reserves, national parks, national natural monuments, biosphere reserves, protected natural sites and nature parks, as well as protected areas that meet Natura 2000 requirements.

The German National Biodiversity Strategy (NBS) aims to safeguard at least two percent of Germany’s national territory for large-scale wilderness development. Even smaller areas, where nature is allowed to develop according to its own rules, help achieve the NBS wilderness targets and provide nature-based solutions for climate action.

What action can be taken to strengthen wilderness and protected areas?

The aim is to safeguard valuable habitats by providing sufficiently large protected areas that are also linked together. Wilderness areas in Germany are therefore to be expanded. In the future, the ‘KlimaWildnis’ programme will supplement the Wilderness Fund by also promoting the purchase of smaller areas. Local KlimaWildnis ambassadors will be used to promote wilderness and the targets of nature-based climate action. In addition, the KlimaWildnisZentrale serves as the central point of contact for the KlimaWildnis ambassadors and activities in the field of wilderness conservation. The Centre of Competence for Nature-based Climate Action will help to establish these local structures and provide information about funding opportunities. 

Contact

Centre of Competence for Nature-based Climate Action (KNK) Stresemannstr. 69-71
10963 Berlin
Write E-Mail

Advice hotline
T +49 30 72618 0200
Monday to Friday: 10 am to 2 pm

Information on the field of action from the BMUV

Hirsch in der Wildnis

On behalf of:

[Translate to English:] Logo of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV)