An ecosystem is a complex of living organisms, their physical environment and all their interrelationships in a specific environment. Intact ecosystems are essential for human life. They provide a variety of ecosystem services, such as climate regulation, carbon storage or drinking water and food. However, due to anthropogenic impacts there are only few intact ecosystems left. The greater part is damaged, degraded or destroyed.
NABU focuses on restoring ecosystems to their original state and the most important regulatory functions such as carbon sequestration. Restoration is ideally done by creating conditions in which the ecosystem can recover on its own. NABU carries out ecosystem restoration projects nationally, for example restoration of the Lower Havel and internationally, especially in tropical rainforests in Sumatra and Sulawesi, Indonesia.
NABU is part of the LIFE Peat Restore project that aims to rewet degraded peatlands covering an area of 5,300 hectares in Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to restore their function as carbon sinks. more →
Hutan Harapan (Indonesian: forest of hope) is a tropical secondary lowland forest in Sumatra, Indonesia, and one of our most precious conservation and restoration programs. The forest represents about one fifth of all remaining lowland forest on Sumatra. more →
By capacitating coffee farmers for better yields and climate resilience, supporting local communities with forest-oriented income and sustaining the biosphere reserve and its ecosystems, we aim to maintain the unique forests of Yayu Biosphe Reserve. more →
The lower Havel river valley is the largest and most important non-coastal wetlands area in Central Europe. The area suffered serious ecological degradation especially in the 20th century due to stream corridor construction projects. more →
The widening and regulation of rivers have, in the past, led to a series of impacts ranging from damages caused by floods, problems with water power, the loss of wetlands as well as the ongoing widening and regulation of tributaries flowing into main rivers. The public has become involved in a controversial debate on the general question of whether river regulaton is even necessary. more →
NABU and its Indonesian partner in the BirdLife network, Burung Indonesia, have initiated a project to protect tropical forests on the Indonesian island Sulawesi. The project is part of BirdLife’s “Forest of Hope Program” and located in the province of Gorontalo. more →
The protected area Mahavavy-Kinkony in Madagascar suffers from degradation of its coastal ecosystems. NABU and ASITY Madagascar joined forces supporting communities for restoring ecosystems, improving livelihoods and responding to the impacts of climate change. more →
Kafa Biosphere Reserve is challenged by the lack of sustainable employment and innovation for green development and adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The consortium aims at structuring the up to now non-commercialised garden coffee value chain. more →
The largest lake in Ethiopia, Lake Tana, is a source of life for 4 million people in the region. Over the course of the last decade, however, the consequences of increased industrialization and development have been posing a threat to this vital water supply. more →
Ethiopia is a globally significant biodiversity hotspot and is considered to be one of the world's most species-rich countries. The last remaining highland forests have been identified as particularly valuable key ecosystems. However, they have declined dramatically in size. more →
The ecology of the Baltic Sea is in bad shape, as typical habitats are under threat or have already completely disappeared. According to the current plans, Nord Stream 2 will pass through five protected areas, despite there being no urgent need for an increased gas supply. more →
The widening and regulation of rivers have, in the past, led to a series of impacts ranging from damages caused by floods, problems with water power, the loss of wetlands as well as the ongoing widening and regulation of tributaries flowing into main rivers. The public has become involved in a controversial debate on the general question of whether river regulaton is even necessary. more →
Since its introduction in 1983, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) of the European Union (EU) has neither been successful in regulating fishing nor ending constant overfishing. more →
