Frequently asked questions

• Am I allowed to cut down trees in my garden? What should I pay attention to when cutting hedges?

  Anyone wishing to fell trees or cut hedges in their garden or in the open countryside must comply with the relevant legal regulations. You can find all the relevant information under the following link.

  • Link to the page "Tree protection/wood protection"
• Which authority should I contact if I want to import specially protected animals or plants into Germany?

  The competent authority for all questions relating to import is the:
  
  Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)
  Konstantinstr. 110
  53179 Bonn

  It is the licensing authority for the import and export of protected animal and plant species. Otherwise (e.g. official veterinary health certificate), please contact the veterinary office.

  Further information can be found under the following links.

  • Page of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation
  • List of specially protected species
• I would like to keep a specially or strictly protected species (e.g. gray parrots, snakes, turtles). Where and how do I register these?

  Anyone keeping vertebrates of specially protected species such as gray parrots, snakes, turtles and salamanders must register this. Annex 5 of the Federal Species Protection Ordinance lists the species that are exempt from this requirement.

  The obligation to notify exists at:

  • Start of keeping,
  • Addition or departure, including death of the animal,
  • Change of regular location,
  • identification

  The notification must state the number, species, age, sex, origin, whereabouts, location, intended use and identification of the animals.

  The livestock report must be signed by the keeper and submitted in writing to the following authority:

  Lower Saxony State Office for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Branch Office
  Hanover-Hildesheim
  Göttinger Chausee 76
  30453 Hanover

  • Further information can be found on the "Species protection" page
• What is the difference between a landscape conservation area (LSG) and a nature conservation area (NSG)?

  What a nature reserve (Section 23 BNatSchG in conjunction with Section 16 NNatSchG) and a landscape conservation area (Section 26 BNatSchG in conjunction with Section 19 NNatSchG) have in common is that a very specific ordinance is passed by the city council for each protected area in Wolfsburg. The ordinance sets out the protection purpose and objectives, requirements and prohibitions adapted to the area.

  Compared to nature conservation areas, landscape conservation areas focus more on the general appearance of the landscape. The conditions and restrictions on use are generally less stringent than in nature conservation areas. In particular, all actions that change the character of the area are prohibited. Nature conservation areas may not be entered outside the paths. The use of land is more restricted in nature conservation areas.

  • Further information can be found on the "Protected areas" page
• Am I allowed to pick plants in the forest or in the wild?

  According to Section 39 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSG), it is prohibited to remove wild plants from their habitat or to use them or to cut down or otherwise destroy their populations without reasonable cause.
  
  By way of derogation from this provision, anyone may take and appropriate small quantities of wild flowers, grasses, ferns, mosses, lichens, fruits, mushrooms, tea and medicinal herbs and branches of wild plants from the wild for personal use in places that are not subject to a trespassing ban. However, care must be taken to ensure that no specially or strictly protected species are included. Damage to these species can be punished with a fine of up to 50,000 euros.

  Attention. Do not pick protected plants!

• What should be done when renovating a building if there are swallows' nests, swifts' roosts or bats' roosts on the building?

  According to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, habitats of specially protected animals, which include all European bird species and bat species, are protected all year round if they are repeatedly visited, even if there are long periods in between (e.g. swift and bat roosts, house martin nests, stork nests).
  
  If a building needs to be renovated, the lower nature conservation authority can grant an exemption from the ban on removal on request, as this case constitutes a case of hardship not intended by the legislator. However, the exemption may only be granted by the lower nature conservation authority if the habitats are not currently occupied and a replacement for the destroyed habitats is created. This usually takes the form of artificial nests, bat boxes or similar.
  
  Wherever possible, the work should be carried out when the specially protected species are not affected.
  
  The unauthorized removal or destruction of permanent habitats without a permit is punishable by a fine.
  The Lower Nature Conservation Authority may not grant an exemption in the event of contamination by animal excrement, which can be avoided by installing droppings boards, for example.

• I would like to have an animal prepared. What do I have to consider?

  The taking from the wild, possession and marketing of specially protected animals is generally prohibited in Germany. This applies not only to live animals, but also to dead specimens. Consequently, the taxidermy of dead animals is also subject to very specific regulations.

  • List of specially protected species

  Acceptance of animals for taxidermy:

  Only the following animals may be accepted for taxidermy:

  1. all animals that are not specially protected,
  2. all specially protected animals for which one of the following exceptions to the prohibition on taking and possession under the Federal Nature Conservation Act applies

  • huntable animals found dead in the wild with a declaration of transfer of ownership from the person authorized to hunt them,
  • animals found dead in the wild for which a taxidermy order from a teaching or research institution exists, unless they are strictly protected species,
  • animals found dead in the wild for which a special permit has been issued by the Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation (NLWKN),
  • dead animals that can be proven to originate from legal captive breeding within the EU,
  • dead animals that can be shown to have been taken from the wild in another EU Member State in accordance with the law applicable there,
  • dead animals that can be proven to originate from a lawful import into the EU, but not direct imports of animals of European bird species and species listed in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive from non-EU member states into the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Marketing of animals:

  Only preparations and frozen material in case groups 1 and 2.4 may be kept in stock for sale, offered for sale or sold. Insofar as 2.4 concerns species listed in Annex A of EC Regulation No. 338/97, a valid marketing authorization under EU law is required. This can be applied for from the NLWKN. In case groups 2.1 - 2.3, only preparation for a specific client is possible, with invoicing of the preparation services. Free marketing is not permitted here. For case groups 2.5 and 2.6, please contact the NLWKN or the above-mentioned telephone number in the specific case.

  Further information on this topic can be found in the leaflet "Information for taxidermists on species protection", published by the NLWKN.

• Can I take in injured or helpless animals?

  Species protection center in Leiferde Hauptstr. 20 38542 Leiferde Phone number: 05373 6677

  According to Section 45 (5) of the Federal Nature Conservation Act, anyone may take in injured, helpless or sick animals in order to nurse them back to health, subject to hunting regulations. Care is to be provided with the aim of reintroducing them into the wild, which is to be carried out if their state of health permits.

  The admission of animals of strictly protected species must be reported to the Lower Nature Conservation Authority. Particularly high-quality care must be ensured for specimens of strictly protected species. The responsible nature conservation authority must therefore be given the opportunity to decide on the place of care. The notification should be made as soon as possible, preferably by telephone or e-mail. Failure to notify the authority after recording constitutes an administrative offense.

  Compliance with the requirements of Section 2 (1) of the Animal Welfare Act must be ensured during care. The minimum requirements for the species-appropriate keeping of vertebrates can serve as a guide for the requirements of the animals in care.

  Your own competence and the time and space resources available for taking on the care of the animal must be critically examined. The care of a wild animal is only justifiable if it is cared for in such a way that it can be released back into the wild. More demanding species can usually only be competently cared for in sanctuaries or similar facilities attached to zoological facilities. There are recognized care stations in Lower Saxony for this purpose: Recognized care stations in Lower Saxony | Niedersächsischer Landesbetrieb für Wasserwirtschaft, Küsten- und Naturschutz.

  Caution: A rabies infection can also be the cause of atypical behavior, especially in animals in need of help. Self-protection measures are therefore necessary.

  In the case of animals that are subject to hunting rights, the persons authorized to hunt or their representatives must have given their consent to the admission. Information can be obtained by calling the service telephone number 115.

  Please send notification of the admission of an animal of a strictly protected species in need of help to the post office box of the Lower Nature Conservation Authority: E-mail naturschutz@stadt.wolfsburg.de and by telephone to 05361 28 - 2078.

  Animals that have been taken in or nursed back to health must be released immediately as soon as it can be assumed that they can survive independently in the wild. If this care goal cannot be achieved, the animals must be handed over to suitable places.

  Here you can find all the specially and strictly protected species in Lower Saxony: List of Species Specially or Strictly Protected in Lower Saxony | Lower Saxony State Agency for Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation

  A further search option is available: Species protection database (WISIA) of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN).

  • List of specially protected species
• I have a wasp or hornet's nest. My neighbor told me it's a protected area. Is that true? What can I do?

  Wasps are social animals. If you have a wasp nest in your garden or house, you are not allowed to remove it without further ado.

  According to nature conservation legislation (Section 39 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act), there is general protection for all wild animals. It is forbidden to disturb wild animals unnecessarily, catch, injure or kill them. This protection also includes the animals' habitats, i.e. wasp nests.
  
  Wasp nests may therefore only be removed if there are reasonable grounds for doing so, such as danger to small children or allergy sufferers.

  • Further information can be found on the "Species protection" page

• To the "Nature conservation" page