§3.1 Examples of compensatory measures under Article 6(4)

Plan or project Long distance railway line between two nodes and renewal of a 100 yr old bridge in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). The project includes surface alignments mitigated with tunnelling. Natura 2000 site affected The site affected is DE 7220-311 ‘Glemswald und Stuttgarter Bucht’ (3 813 ha, with 31 sub-fragmented areas). Impact Impacts result from land take and subsequent habitat loss and degradation including mature tree felling. The assets of Community interest affected are: Species: population of Habitats Directive Annex II priority species Osmoderma eremita in favourable conservation status. Habitat: 6510 Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis) Compensatory measures — Designation as Natura 2000 of 50 ha of land near a national nature reserve (Neuweiler Viehweide). — Management of the designated area targeted to *Osmoderma eremita by regenerating the essential ecological features required for the species’ survival. The managed designated land connects two existing core protected sites that were isolated, with ecological border effect on the priority species. The outcome of targeted management is expected to retain favourable conservation status for the priority species. Source: C(2018) 466 final 30.1.2018 Plan or project Road B173 between localities in Bavaria (Germany) Natura 2000 site affected The site affected is DE 5833-371 Maintal von Theisau bis Lichtenfels SCI (872 ha), largely coincident with an SPA DE 5931-471.02 Täler von Oberem Main, Unterer Rodach und Steinach. The SPA area is more affected in area than the SCI. The site’s functionality is linked to 9 other Natura 2000 sites in the Continental biogeographic region. The sites consist of floodplain habitats with stagnant and running waters. Impact The road alignment intersects the Natura 2000 network and impacts through land take (habitat loss) and disturbance/degradation to habitats and species during construction and operation of the road, mainly as a result of nitrogen deposition. In detail: Annex I habitat types affected by the project: 6, of which one priority (91E0*). Annex II species affected: 5, of which 3 also Annex IV. Significant impacts on: Habitats Directive Annex I habitat types 3150, 6430, 6510, and 91E0* Birds Directive Annex I bird species Circus aeruginosus Compensatory measures Proportionality in compensation to balance habitat loss within the overall coherence of the Natura 2000 network has been decided at: 1:3 ratio for habitat types 3150, 6430 and 91E0* 1:6 for 6510. Enlargement of the SCI by 2 ha. Creation of reedbed habitat area for Circus aeruginosus. Financial plan and monitoring and evaluation plan. The European Commission makes this compensation plan conditional on: — Implementation according to the work plan presented to the European Commission by the German authorities. — Monitoring and evaluation reports according to the work plan presented as agreed by the German authorities. The report must be made available to the public on the internet. — The results of monitoring and evaluation for the Natura 2000 network must be taken into account in order to foresee evaluation and review of the compensatory measures and of the mitigation measures link to the project. — Germany fulfils the commitments concerning the Natura 2000 network for site DE 5833 – 371 as per Article 4(4) and Article 6(1) of the Habitats Directive. Source: C(2015) 9085 final 18.12.2015 Plan or project/ National Road B 252/B 62; 17,56 km of new road to bypass the municipalities Münchhausen, Wetter and Lahntal (Hesse). North-south connection between the regions Paderborn-Korbach and Marburg-Gießen. The National Road B 62 links Biedenkopf via Cölbe to the long-distance axes Gießen-Marburg-Kassel. The new alignment entails resizing and relocation of public infrastructure, such as communal roads, energy grids, a railway and a gas pipeline. Natura 2000 site affected The scope of the appropriate assessment included several Natura 2000 sites. The conclusions were: Site DE 5017-305 ‘Lahnhänge zwischen Biedenkopf und Marburg’: not adversely affected by the project. Site DE 5018-401 ‘Burgwald’: positively affected by the project because the project will be further away from the site and will reduce most of the traffic load of the existing National Road B 252. Site DE 5118-302 ‘Obere Lahn und Wetschaft mit Nebengewässern’: there will be significant impacts on this site. Impact The route alignment of the National Road B 252/B 62 intersects the Natura 2000 network at three locations. The direct pressures are habitat loss and habitat degradation; there are barrier effects and nitrogen deposition that have general effects on habitats and species through habitat disturbance and degradation. The assets subject to significant consequences out of these impacts are: — Habitats Directive Annex I habitat types — 91E0* (alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior) — 3260 (water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation) — Habitats Directive Annex II species Cottus gobio and Lampetra planeri All Annex I habitat types and other habitats of species are subject to significant impact as a result of increased levels of nitrogen deposition. Increased sediment loads have adverse significant effects on all water-living species. The most significant damage, direct and indirect, is on habitat type 91E0* through fertilizing and acidifying by nitrogen gases. Compensatory measures Loss of habitat type 91E0* alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior: Compensation of the direct impacts: ratio 1:3. Compensation of the indirect impacts: ratio 1:2. Source: C(2012) 3392 of 29.5.2012 Plan or project/ Deepening and widening of the ship fairway of the river Main at the sections Wipfeld, Garstadt and Schweinfurt (Bavaria/Germany) The main purpose of the project is to widen the existing fairway of the river Main between the floodgates Wipfeld (milestone km 316,12) and Ottendorf (milestone km 345,29) from 36 m to 40 m and to deepen the river's waterway from currently 2,50 m to 2,90 m. This will increase the physical manoeuvrability of boats. Impact The priority habitat type of Community interest 91E0* Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior and the habitat type 6510 Lowland hay meadows would be particularly affected. Both habitat types would be damaged directly involving a surface loss of 9 460 m2 for 91E0* and 6 440 m2 for 6510. Natura 2000 site affected The scope of the appropriate assessment included a sub-network of the Natura 2000 network neighbouring the watercourse. The AA conclusions per Natura 2000 site were: Site 'Maintal zwischen Schweinfurt und Dettelbach' (SPA): no significant effects. Site 'Mainaue zwischen Grafenrheinfeld und Kitzingen' (SCI): significant effects. Site 'Maintal bei Sennfeld und Weyer'(SCI): significant effects. The sites significantly affected have a dimension of 1 706 ha. Compensatory measures Proportionality was agreed at: Habitat type 6510: proportion of almost 1:7 Habitat type 91E0*: proportion of almost 1:4 In the latter case, the proportions take into account that the habitat re-creation period may last several decades. The compensation area is local, since the ecological functionality required is found nearby. The affected Natura 2000 sites will be enlarged by the proposed compensatory measures and subsequently designated and notified by the Member State. In total, 10 measures are foreseen in the flooding area Schweinfurt and Wipfeld.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-07