Verfahrensbeschreibungen

Procedure descriptions

Apply for an eco-account measure

Eco-account measures are voluntary measures to enhance nature and the landscape. They are already being implemented without having to be immediately linked to a construction project or intervention in nature. Such measures can be implemented by agricultural and forestry businesses, other private landowners or local authorities. These measures are stored in a special register. They can later be used as compensation for their own interventions in nature or sold to others.

Responsible department

The authority responsible for examining the application and granting approval is the lower nature conservation authority.

The lower administrative authority is

  • if you live in an urban district: the city administration
  • if you live in a rural district: the district administration

Details

Prerequisite

The competent authority must approve the eco-account measure. Approval is granted if

1. the availability of land has been proven,

2. the required documents have been submitted using the prescribed electronic forms,

3. the minimum number of eco-points and, where applicable, the area size of the measure are complied with,

4. the measure leads to an enhancement of the ecosystem that goes beyond the maintenance of the existing condition and proper agriculture and forestry,

5. the area of the measure is not overplanned for conflicting purposes.

Procedure

If you want to implement an eco-account measure, you can register for the internet application "Compensation register & eco-account" department eco-account in nature conservation law. You will then receive personalised access. Please use the access for measure organisers.

  • You can find the internet application here.
  • The internet application "Compensation register & eco-account" is an independent specialised procedure outside the Baden-Württemberg service portal.
  • In the internet application, you have the option of entering and saving all measure data (description, location, evaluation) in the electronic forms. The measure complexes saved in the Internet application can be easily organised and managed according to their current status (e.g. newly created, applied for, approved).
  • Once you have entered all the data and completed all the items in the task list for the set of measures, you can submit the application for approval to include the measures in the eco-account register.
  • In this step, a PDF document with the application form is created via the "Compensation register & eco-account" web application, which you can have sent to your e-mail address.
  • As the measure organiser, you must then sign this application and send it by post with all other necessary documents, such asan extract from the land register, a copy of the land register certificate and a copy of the land register certificate For example, the extract from the land register, to the responsible lower nature conservation authority.
  • Once the application for approval has been created, the set of measures is given the status "applied for" and is notified to the lower nature conservation authority for review. In this status, the data can no longer be changed.

Deadlines

Approval must be granted before you start implementing the measure.

Required documents

The application for approval must include

1. Name and address of the person responsible for the measure and, if different, of the landowner, person entitled in rem or authorised user,

2. Information on the natural area, the municipality, the marker and the size of the area to be protected, as well as a cartographic representation of the parcel at a scale of 1 : 5,000 (open land) or 1 : 10,000 (forest); if these scales are unsuitable, the lower nature conservation authority may specify a different scale in individual cases,

3. Indication of the parcel and listing of the parcels concerned,

4. Proof of availability of the area,

5. information on the initial condition in relation to the impact areas, in the case of biotope and soil-related impact areas also on the initial value in ecopoints, by a competent person,

6. descriptions of the planned measures in relation to the impact areas and their evaluation in eco-points by a competent person,

7. the authorisations required under other legislation,

8. Information on the utilisation of public funding,

9. confirmation from the municipality concerned that the area has not been overplanned for other purposes and that overplanning has not been initiated,

10. a declaration by the person responsible for the measure and the landowner or other authorised party stating whether they consent to their personal data being publicly accessible in the eco-account register.

Costs

depending on the application

Processing time

depending on the application

Miscellaneous

You must notify the lower nature conservation authority of the start of the measure and enter it in the eco-account register. The approval expires if you do not start the measure within five years of notification.

You must notify the lower nature conservation authority of the transfer or sale of land or eco-points. The previous owner of the measure will be deleted from the eco-account register and the purchaser will be entered as the owner of the measure.

Legal basis

Bundesnaturschutzgesetz (BNatSchG):

  • § 15 Eingriffsregelung
  • § 16 Bevorratung von Kompensationsmaßnahmen

Naturschutzgesetz (NatSchG):

  • § 15 Rechtsfolgen des Eingriffs (ergänzende landesrechtliche Vorschrift zu § 15 BNatSchG)
  • § 16 Bevorratung von Kompensationsmaßnahmen (ergänzende landesrechtliche Vorschrift zu § 16 BNatSchG)

Ökonto-Verordnung (ÖKVO):

  • § 3 Antragsverfahren

Release note

Machine generated, based on the German release by: Umweltministerium Baden-Württemberg, 03.06.2025