NUBiP of Ukraine’s scientists discussed Germany’s experience of land protection and monitoring of soil fertility preservation

April 22, 2018

      Faculty of Land Management of NUBiP of Ukraine hosted All-Ukrainian scientific seminar «The protection of land and monitoring of soil fertility in Germany» under the auspices of NNGO «Association of Ukraine’s specialists in land planning», Association «Land Union of Ukraine». Main participants of this seminar became specialists in the sphere of land protection from Germany such as Doctor Ute Shultheiss (Federal Ministry of food and agriculture), Kristian Vise (Department of ecology of district of Stendal), Doctor Denis Hruber (Department of ecology of district of Stendal); Kristoff Conrad Hilgen (Society with the implementation and management of the land of BVVG).

     The aim of this seminar is to obtain the experience of European Union and in particular Germany in the sphere of land protection. The system of land management in Germany is similar to that in Ukraine.
     Dean of Faculty Taras Yevsiukov and President of Association «Land Union of Ukraine» Andrii Koshyl greeted participants of the seminar. Andrii Koshyl said that the issue of land protection and monitoring of soil fertility preservation is urgent nowadays. In Germany land owners are very careful about soil fertilising and soil protection.
     Doctor Ute Shultheiss told about legal principles of soil protection and soil fertilizing. Germany’s both agricultural lands and favourable climate conditions contribute to higher soil fertility and productivity. Main laws which explain standards of land protection in Germany are Federal Law on Land Protection (BBodSchG) and Federal resolution about land protection and residual ecological damage.

     Federal Law on Land Protection was adopted in 1998 and states about:
– sustainable support and restoration of soil function.
– rehabilitation of soil, residual ecological damage which causes the contamination of waters, prevention of harmful impacts on soil.

     Federal resolution about land protection and residual ecological damage (BBodSchV), which was adopted in 1999 states about:

  1. Studies and assessment of suspicious land and plots where there might occur residual ecological damage, harmful soil changes and residual damage and requirements for taking samples, doing analyses, and quality.
  2. Demands for threats prevention by means of safety measures, such as decontamination, limits and others.
  3. Additional demands for rehabilitation studies and plans of rehabilitation when there exist specific types of residual ecological damage.
  4. Demands for prevention of harmful changes of soils and demands for soil fertilising.
  5. Identification of control and actual parameters, as well as preventive ones including additional burdens.


     Ute Shultheiss also said that one of the key points of soil protection in Germany is united agrarian policy which includes direct payments. For example, enterprise owners who want to get a basic bonus must use such methods of household which stimulate environmental protection (Cross Compliance according to EU resolution (EU) Nr. 1307/2013). Every receiver of direct agricultural payments must manage land in good agricultural and ecological conditions (GLÖZ).
     Ute Shultheiss added that the protection of agricultural lands, first of all, arable one plays an important role in German policy because Germany has arable land of approximately 11.9 million hectares and nearly 4.9 million hectares of meadows and pastures.
     Master of agrarian sciences Kristian Vise made a speech on «The implementation of legislation on fertilizers in fields in Germany on the example of the district of Stendal».

     He gave characteristics of the location, climate, and history of Stendal. He also spoke about agriculture, that is 590 agricultural farms including 383 animal farms (in 2010 the number was more than 450; they mostly grow cattle, pigs and chickens) , more than 100 animal enterprises and more than 60 biogas stations.
     The owners of these farms prefer to use organic fertilizers due to 65.000 of cattle. They also use organic and mineral fertilisers.

     The following laws regulate fertilizers in Germany:
– Resolution on fertilizers;
– Law on fertilizers;
– Resolution on balance between electricity and energy;
– Resolution on ways of fertilizing.

    Head of the department of ecology of the district of Stendal, doctor Denis Hruber spoke about the structure of administrative bodies and their duties.

     The following federal laws regulate soil protection:

  • Federal law on land protection (BBodSchG) regulates aims and purposes of land protections and strategies of its realization.
  • Federal resolution on land protection (BBodSchV) regulates rules of activity and quality.
  • Standards (ISO, DIN, EN) regulate and compare activity.

     The following laws of federal lands and communities state about:

  1. Laws of federal lands on soil protection regulate the rights.
  2. Standards of responsibility regulate the cooperation between enterprises.
  3. Instructions which describe actions in specific cases.

     Moreover, he gave a detailed look at the causes of district reform in lands of Saxony-Anhalt, such as the decrease of the population, changes of age structure, migration, and financial problems.

     Associate professor of the department of land cadastre Olha Tyshenko was interested in low figures of such fertilisers as phosphorus and nitrogen. Moderator of land issues of Analytical Centre of PU «Agrarian Union of Ukraine » Iryna Didenko asked whether the government takes into account farmers’ interests in limitations on using fertilizers and whether farmers receive compensations.
Students of the faculty also asked many questions. Master of Faculty of Land Management Maryna Meleshchuk asked if in Germany there takes place reclamation of lands and at whose expense.


Liudmyla Hunko,
associate professor of the department of land planning
translated by Olena Soloviova

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