Landscape Conservation and Nature Parks; Applying for Funding

Purpose

Measures in accordance with the Landscape Conservation and Nature Park Guidelines (LNPR) serve to

• preserve and develop nature and the landscape as the basis of human life, the environment, and recreational areas,
• to secure or re-establish habitats for endangered or threatened animal and plant species,
• achieve the purpose of protecting areas and individual natural features,
• to make the local natural environment and landscape accessible to the public in a nature-friendly manner and to convey their ecological value,
• to realize the goals of nature conservation and landscape management contained in plans pursuant to Article 4 of the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act (BayNatSchG),
• to develop, maintain, and manage a statewide network of habitats,
• to contribute to the preservation and development of the European ecological network Natura 2000.

Scope

As a rule, funding is provided for management and conservation measures for protected species that are at risk of extinction and their habitats.

• Capital investments aimed at the conservation, improvement, development, and creation of ecologically valuable habitats, as well as the establishment of a European and state-wide biotope network. 
• Measures to preserve and enhance biological diversity (biodiversity), including specific species conservation measures for native animal and plant species at risk of extinction. 
• Measures for nature-oriented recreation and visitor management within and outside nature parks, as well as support for nature park rangers.

Grant Recipients

Grant recipients may include local government entities and their associations, landscape conservation associations, as well as clubs and organizations dedicated to nature conservation and landscape management in accordance with their bylaws, and owners or holders of the properties designated for the measures or the operators of the nature parks.

Eligible Costs

Eligible projects include: 

• Projects for the conservation, maintenance, development, and creation of ecologically valuable habitats, as well as specific species conservation measures for native animal and plant species at risk of extinction, 
• Projects aimed at preserving and developing nature-compatible recreational uses in nature parks based on management and development plans, and measures to safeguard and strengthen nature parks as model landscapes and their role in supporting species and habitat diversity, 
• Projects for nature-friendly visitor management, for promoting an understanding of nature and the experience of nature, 
• Projects to implement the Bavarian Orchard Pact, 
• Projects on peatland sites 
• the measures must be suitable for promoting and restoring natural bog development and peat growth,
• Preparatory and supporting measures for 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 Amount

Funding is provided in the form of partial financing or equity participation.

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

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

Depending on the measure, the grant amounts to up to 70% of the total eligible costs. For measures of particularly high importance for nature conservation (species protection for critically 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% is possible 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: Under 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 specific 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, particularly 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 parks, 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 accordingly, 
• 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,” as well as 
• areas within urban areas and municipal lands that are of particular importance for experiencing nature.

Exclusion criteria:

Economic activities are not eligible for funding.

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).

Applications are currently accepted in several phases 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.

• Required document(s)
  
  • Description of the measure, justification for the cost estimate, and any additional documents: The district administrative authorities (lower-level nature conservation authorities) may supplement the documents to be submitted as needed.

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.