Nature conservation: eco-accounts
Performance specification
Nature conservation measures that are carried out at one's own expense and without legal obligation, i.e. without or before an intervention in the natural balance, can be credited to an eco-account as a preliminary measure.
The difference between the condition before and after the replacement measure can be booked into a so-called eco-account in the form of biotope value points. The calculation basis for a measure is the biotope value procedure, which is regulated in the Compensation Ordinance.
Eco-accounts can be set up upon application and acceptance of the measure by the nature conservation authority.
These prior conservation measures can be used to compensate for interventions.
The ecopoints credited to the account are freely tradable and can be bought or sold as needed, although it should be noted that serious trading in ecopoints is subject to value-added tax according to the Frankfurt Regional Finance Office and that, from a financial point of view, one becomes an entrepreneur.
Which documents are required?
You can clarify which documents you need to submit by making a brief enquiry at the Lower Nature Conservation Authority.
The application is made informally, as both the establishment of an eco-account and the planned debiting of eco-points from an existing eco-account require the areas concerned to be assessed or classified beforehand with regard to their current ecological value with the help of the biotope type classification specified in the valid Compensation Ordinance, the submission of expert reports may be necessary.
What are the fees?
Setting up an eco-account and booking out eco-points is free of charge. Each additional booking is charged according to time spent.
Legal basis
§ 16 Federal Nature Conservation Act
§ 10 Hessian Implementation Act to the Federal Nature Conservation Act
§ 3 Hessian Compensation Ordinance
What else should I know?
The ecopoints credited to the account are freely tradable and can be bought or sold as needed, although it should be noted that serious trading in ecopoints is subject to VAT according to the Frankfurt Regional Finance Office, and in financial terms one becomes an entrepreneur.
Who do I need to contact?
The lower nature conservation authorities are the district administration in the districts, and the city administrations in the cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.