Administrative Regulation on Contractual Nature Conservation for Forests in the State of Brandenburg (VV-VN Forest)

The administrative regulation for contractual nature conservation in forests in the state of Brandenburg (VV-VN Wald) specifically promotes measures for the protection, preservation, and restoration of near-natural forest habitats in Brandenburg. The target groups are primarily businesses, public institutions, and non-profit organizations acting as forest enterprise owners, municipalities, municipal associations, or non-profit legal entities. The goal is to improve biodiversity in forest ecosystems and to achieve the Natura 2000 conservation objectives. Funding is provided for, among other things, coppice and high forest management, semi-open and open structures, bare soil sites, shrub removal, and special species support measures. Financing is granted as a fixed-amount subsidy linked to specific projects. The funding period runs from August 29, 2024, to December 31, 2029, and applications can be submitted at any time.

A prerequisite for funding is the acquisition of ownership or a written consent from the landowners, as well as the coordination of conservation-related concepts or specialized planning with the responsible forestry and nature conservation authorities. A documented application consultation allows for an early project start; contract conclusion and payment are handled by the State Office for the Environment on behalf of the MLEUV Brandenburg. For application submission, the protocol of the consultation and a cartographic representation of the claimed parcels are required. Payments and proof of use are reviewed annually. With this funding, the state of Brandenburg makes an important contribution to sustainable forest management, the protection of valuable habitats, and the implementation of European nature conservation objectives.