Enhancing Biotic Resource Protection in Nettersheim: Successful Integration of Forestry and Agriculture in Nature Conservation Concerns

Objective of this article is to present degradations and enhancements from a nature conservation point of view achieved during the last two decades within the Nettersheim municipality (Eifel, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). For that, a comprehensive biotope evaluation from 1989 summarized in the so-called “Eco-Map” of the municipality has been compared to the map’s second edition from 2009. For each biotope evaluation the Bonner Approach has been used in its current version. In 1989 only around one third of the whole Nettersheim territory shows mean, high or very high importance. In 2009, it is nearly the half of the municipality (46.1%). Only 60 ha degraded from a nature conservation point of view during examination period, while comprehensive enhancements were registered on 1433 ha or 17.5 % of the territory. Area owned by public institutions showed higher percentages of enhancement than overall area. Enhancements are due to the transformation of non-autochthonal coniferous stands in deciduous forests and to the extensification of agricultural use. For latter, the grassland extensification program, the field margin program and the nature conservation by contract programs play a major role because nature conservation measures are directly remunerated. Indirect compensation for nature conservation activities is given by ecological compatible tourism.