Good grounds for nature conservation

Project studies tax incentives for voluntary nature conservation measures on private land

Where does the money for nature conservation on private property come from? Who pays, when a drained peatland is marked for restoration? What kind of resources are available for breathing new life into a section of river? The answer varies widely from case to case, especially in different national jurisdictions.

Traditionally, financial incentives for nature conservation in Germany mainly stem from public funding programmes. However, to date, tax relief has only been granted in certain exceptional cases.

Countries like the USA or South Africa have developed a contrasting model. They grant private landowners tax breaks for committing to long-term nature conservation obligations. The potential advantage of tax incentives as opposed to state funding programmes lies in their cost-effectiveness and the lower overhead in terms of administrative staffing requirements. Our project “Good grounds for nature conservation” addresses precisely this point.

Project goal

In the project framework, NABU investigates how tax relief can create incentives for private landowners to implement site-specific nature conservation measures on their land. Restoration measures in wetlands can be one example of this.

• The project aims to investigate the status quo and the potential of tax breaks as an incentive instrument in nature conservation, and to compare the results with other nations
• Building upon these results, we will conceptualise suggestions for incentive systems in Germany
• These suggestions will be communicated to political decision-makers on the federal level

With the project “Good grounds for nature conservation,” NABU seeks to promote site-specific nature conservation goals and support private landowners in their engagement for land protection and restoration of peatlands, wet meadows and other ecosystems.

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