Landscape conservation and nature parks; application for funding

Purpose

Measures in accordance with the Landscape Conservation and Nature Park Guidelines (LNPR) serve this purpose,

• To preserve and develop nature and landscape as the basis of life, environment and recreational area for people,
• To secure or re-create habitats for endangered or threatened animal and plant species,
• to achieve the purpose pursued by the protection of areas and individual elements of nature,
• to make the local nature and landscape accessible to the population in a nature-friendly way and to convey their ecological value,
• to realize nature conservation and landscape management objectives contained in plans pursuant to Art. 4 of the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act (BayNatSchG),
• to develop, preserve and maintain a state-wide biotope network,
• contribute to the protection and development of the European ecological network Natura 2000.

Object

As a rule, funding is provided for measures to manage and conserve protected species that are at risk within their existing populations, as well as their habitats.

• Investment measures aimed at preserving, improving, developing, and creating ecologically valuable habitats, and at establishing a European and nationwide network of biotopes.
• Measures to preserve and enhance biological diversity (biodiversity), including specific conservation measures for native animal and plant species whose populations are endangered.
• Measures to promote nature-based recreation and visitor management both inside and outside nature parks, as well as support for nature park rangers.

Beneficiary

Grant recipients may include local government entities and their associations, landscape conservation associations, as well as clubs and organizations whose bylaws specify a commitment to nature conservation and landscape management, as well as owners or possessors of the properties designated for the measures or the managing bodies of nature parks.

Eligible costs

Eligible projects are:

• Projects aimed at the conservation, maintenance, development, and creation of ecologically valuable habitats, as well as specific species conservation measures for native animal and plant species that are endangered,
• Initiatives to preserve and develop nature-friendly recreational uses in nature parks based on management and development plans, and measures to safeguard and strengthen nature parks as exemplary landscapes and their role in supporting species and habitat diversity,
• Projects aimed at managing visitor traffic in an environmentally friendly manner, promoting an understanding of nature, and enhancing the experience of nature,
• Projects to implement the Bavarian Orchard Pact,
• Projects on peatland sites
• The measures must be appropriate for promoting and restoring the natural development of bogs and peat growth,
• Preparatory and supporting measures to ensure the technically sound and goal-oriented implementation of nature conservation and landscape management projects,
• the acquisition of land, leases, and compensation payments in specific individual cases

Type and height

The funding is granted in the form of pro rata financing/capital participation.

The grant type is project funding.
The funding period covers the entire duration of the project.

Partial funding as part of project support for eligible individual measures.

Depending on the measure, the grant amounts to up to 70% of the total eligible costs. For measures of particular importance for nature conservation (species protection for highly endangered Red List species, measures in nature conservation areas or Natura 2000 sites, the development of the statewide biotope network, and measures to preserve orchard landscapes), up to 90% may be granted in justified individual cases, provided that sufficient financial participation by the project sponsor is ensured. For wetland conservation measures, 100% funding may be granted in exceptional cases.

ERDF IBW 2021–2027: As part of the European Regional Development Fund (Objective “Investments in Employment and Growth”), the EU is providing the Free State of Bavaria with 19 million euros for the area of “Green Infrastructure—Improving Biodiversity.” Funding is provided in accordance with the Landscape Conservation and Nature Park Guidelines (LNPR), in compliance with the relevant EU ERDF requirements.

Projects on the following areas or involving the following individual natural features:

• Areas of the European Natura 2000 ecological network pursuant to Directives 2009/147/EC and 92/43/EEC,
• Wetlands of international importance within the meaning of Article 2(1) of the Convention on Wetlands, in particular as habitats for waterfowl and wading birds, Federal Law Gazette II 1976, p. 1265,
• Areas that contribute to the development of the BayernNetzNatur biotope network,
• Nature reserves, as well as all other areas and individual natural features that are protected under the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) or the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act (BayNatSchG), or to which such protection applies,
• Biosphere reserves,
• Areas and individual natural features that are designated as biotopes worthy of protection or that serve as habitats for species on the "Red Lists," and also
• Areas within urban areas and municipal lands that are of particular importance for experiencing nature.

Exclusion criteria:

Economic activities are not supported.

Applications are currently accepted in several rounds each year—summer and winter. The deadline for the current application round for the 2026 summer measures is March 27, 2026. Applications for the 2026 winter measures can then be submitted until the deadline of July 24, 2026.

• Description of the measure, justification for the cost estimate, and any additional documents: The documents to be submitted may be supplemented by the district administrative authorities (lower-level nature conservation authorities).

• Declaration of consent by property owner

• Guidelines for the Funding of Measures for Nature and Species Conservation, Landscape Management, and Nature-Friendly Recreation in Nature Parks (Landscape Management and Nature Park Guidelines—LNPR)

Administrative Court Action: You may file a lawsuit challenging the grant decision. The deadline and the court with jurisdiction over the case will be specified in the decision.

• Nature Conservation - Funding Under the Landscape Conservation and Nature Park Guidelines (LNPR)

Applications are submitted to the authorizing authority through the district administrative authority (lower nature conservation authority). The authorizing authority is the locally competent government (higher nature conservation authority).

• Landscape conservation areas; designation
• Contractual nature conservation program; application for a grant
• Forest contract nature conservation program; application for a grant