Removing wilderness barriers

The protection, restoration, and sustainable use of biological diversity are among the German government’s key environmental policy objectives. Despite clear objectives set out in the first National Biodiversity Strategy from 2007, such as the development of natural forests (the “NWE5 target”) and the designation of large wilderness areas (the “2% wilderness target”), Germany has so far fallen well short of its own targets. At the same time, wilderness areas are becoming increasingly important for natural climate protection and ecological resilience in the face of species loss, climate change, and the need for adaptation. These goals are also reiterated in the new National Biodiversity Strategy with a horizon of 2030. In recent years, numerous political initiatives and funding instruments have been created at federal and state level to promote the designation and development of wilderness areas. Nevertheless, considerable legal, economic, administrative, and financial obstacles remain. In addition, there are socio-cultural challenges that make comprehensive implementation difficult.

In the project commissioned by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), UfU is working with the David Nature Foundation and the Brandenburg Nature Landscapes Foundation – The Wilderness Foundation to systematically investigate these challenges. The aim of the project is to identify and analyze existing obstacles to the establishment and implementation of wilderness and process protection in Germany. Based on this, solutions and practical recommendations for action will be developed. The project combines literature research, online surveys, and qualitative interviews with a systematic analysis of the existing legal framework. It brings together scientific, legal, and practical expertise. On this basis, recommendations for action will be developed to effectively support the removal of obstacles to wilderness and the implementation of the National Strategy on Biological Diversity 2030.