FFH screening / FFH impact assessment

Is your proposed plant located in the vicinity of an area of the network "Natura 2000" (FFH areas and EU bird protection areas)? In that case, the Habitats and Species Directive and the Federal Nature Conservation Act call for the examination or screening of the compatibility of the project or plan with the stipulated conservation objectives in the area affected. These regulations have been tightened by court rulings (e.g. western bypass Halle) and by subsequent amendments of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (minor amendment in 2007).

Basically, it is irrelevant whether the project occupies areas directly within Natura 2000 sites or affects the area from the outside. If significant impacts cannot be completely excluded (this is the subject of the FFH screening), a complete FFH impact assessment according to the Federal Nature Conservation Act has to be carried out for further clarification.

An FFH screening examines:

• habitats under Annex I Habitats and Species Directive, including its typical species
• species under Annex II Habitats and Species Directive and birds listed in Annex I and Section 4 clause 2 Birds Directive including their habitats and / or locations as well as
• biotic and abiotic site factors, spatial and functional relationships, structures, area-specific features or characteristics that are of significance with regard to a.m. habitats and species.

Is an impact on species under the special stipulations for protected species of the Federal Nature Conservation Act §44 suspected, an additional species protection technical study, also known as inspection under the Ordinance on the Conservation of Species (saP) is required.

Please feel free to contact us.

By the way: The corresponding FFH guidelines of the federal states (eg. Brandenburg) were corrected by court in the field of irrelevant borders! This should be considered in the evaluation!