blühende Wiese als Ökokonto-Ausgleichsfläche im bayernhafen Regensburg blühende Wiese als Ökokonto-Ausgleichsfläche im bayernhafen Regensburg

Eco-account and Biodiversity Offsetting Areas

Under the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), property developers undertaking certain construction activities are required to offset the impact such activities have on the natural environment by creating so-called biodiversity offsetting areas or ecological compensation areas. An eco-account can be used as a means of implementing offsetting and compensation measures in advance as well as for building up a reserve of such measures to offset the impact on the natural environment of future construction and development activities. So-called eco-points represent a kind of “currency” (= value points) that reflect this compensation.

bayernhafen is certified as an eco-account operator. This involves undertaking targeted renaturation measures for suitable areas – for example by transforming land previously used for agriculture into alluvial woodland and extensive grassland areas. In future planning permission procedures eco-account areas can re-purposed as biodiversity offsetting and ecological compensation areas.

Illustration Naturraum Hafen - Ökokonto

Eco-account for third parties

Eco-account areas that bayernhafen does not need to meet its own requirements for biodiversity offsetting and ecological compensation are to be made available to third-party developers through a commercial eco-account. In this case, bayernhafen acts as the commercial eco-account operator. The requisite accreditation to this end was granted by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment in January 2020. Interested customers can acquire eco-points from the eco-account areas of bayernhafen and use them to meet the ecological compensation requirements for their development project in their natural region. An overview of the natural region zones for Bavaria can be found on the website of the State Office for the Environment.

Illustration Naturraum Hafen - Ökokonto

Your benefits

  • Once you acquire eco-points and value points, the obligation to provide biodiversity offsetting passes to bayernhafen as the eco-account operator
  • No requirement to purchase land
  • Greater degree of planning reliability and potentially faster planning permission procedures
  • Avoidance of delays in development projects due to lack of biodiversity offsetting areas
  • Professional implementation and ongoing management of the requisite biodiversity offsetting measures

We will be more than happy to send you further information on eco-accounts and on how to acquire value points for the biodiversity offsetting measures you need for your construction project.

Contact us today to find out more:

    Please select the location for which you would like to request information.

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    Do you have questions about eco-accounts and biodiversity offsetting areas? We look forward to hearing from you!

    Alexander Zeiger

    Alexander Zeiger

    Head of Real Estate Business