What Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg does

Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg is a state foundation under public law (Stiftung öffentlichen Rechts) established in 1995 by the state of Brandenburg, headquartered in Potsdam, Germany. Its statutory mandate is practical nature conservation across the state, delivered through four interlocking service lines: (1) external project funding for counties, municipalities, associations, agricultural businesses, church parishes and private individuals; (2) management of 9,434 hectares of foundation-owned protected land; (3) the Naturwacht ranger program with 350 volunteers and Natura-2000-Teams operating across Brandenburg's protected areas; and (4) self-implemented flagship conservation projects. Since 2010, the foundation has successfully acquired more than EUR 22 million in EU LIFE programme grants and currently runs projects including LIFE Bachmuschel (2023–2032, EUR 8.7M), LIFE Trockenrasen (2019–2026, EUR 4.7M) and the internally financed FROG amphibian project (2025–2030, EUR 9M+). It does not charge for its services; operations are funded by Ersatzzahlungen (compensation payments collected when environmental impacts cannot otherwise be mitigated), EU grants, and Brandenburg state appropriations, under the oversight of the Ministry for Agriculture, Environment and Consumer Protection (MLEUV).

The foundation's "product" surface is a portfolio of long-dated habitat- and species-restoration programs rather than technology products: river renaturation (LIFE Bachmuschel, LIFE Feuchtwälder), dry-grassland preservation (LIFE Trockenrasen, LIFE Sandrasen), calcareous fen restoration (LIFE Kalkmoore), and amphibian habitat creation (FROG). These are co-developed with partners such as NABU-Stiftung Nationales Naturerbe, Michael Succow Stiftung, Stiftung Europäisches Naturerbe, Universität Potsdam, Landesanglerverband Brandenburg, regional water boards and local contractors. The business model is grant intermediation and statutory fund administration: the foundation raises capital from the EU and from Ersatzzahlungen, deploys it through projects and land acquisition, and reinvests any residual Ersatzzahlungen in the same localities where environmental impacts occurred. The distribution channel is an open project-funding application process plus on-the-ground conservation delivery; go-to-market is community-led, supported by a newsletter, Facebook/Instagram presence, public events (e.g., Brandenburger Junior-Ranger-Camp, World Ranger Day), Ranger Tours, and the annual Brandenburg Nature Prize. Management is led by Geschäftsführer Dr. Holger Rößling, with Minister Hanka Mittelstädt chairing the foundation council since the current legislative period.

Name

Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg

Legal name

Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg

Website

https://naturschutzfonds.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg is a 1995-established Brandenburg state foundation under public law that funds, manages and implements practical nature conservation — operating 9,434 hectares of protected land, a 350-volunteer Naturwacht ranger service, and a EUR 22M+ EU LIFE project portfolio spanning rivers, dry grasslands, fens and amphibian habitats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Nature conservation funding
• Habitat restoration services
• Species protection projects
• Environmental land management
• Natura 2000 management

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. EU LIFE Programme Funding: The foundation receives significant funding from the EU LIFE programme for biodiversity, environmental and climate protection projects, particularly for Natura 2000 network management.
2. Compensation Payments (Ersatzzahlungen): Since 1995, the foundation manages compensation payments from parties who cause environmental damage (e.g., soil sealing, wetland damage, wind energy construction) when impacts cannot be avoided or compensated through mitigation measures. Funds are reinvested in the counties and natural areas where damage occurred.
3. Project Co-financing: EU projects co-financed with foundation's own funds from compensation payments, with partners contributing additional resources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg manages practical nature conservation in the German state of Brandenburg by funding external conservation projects, executing EU LIFE programme biodiversity projects (LIFE Bachmuschel, LIFE Trockenrasen, LIFE Feuchtwälder, LIFE Sandrasen, LIFE Kalkmoore) and the FROG amphibian habitat project, deploying the Naturwacht ranger service across protected areas, managing 9,434 hectares of secured conservation land, and operating Natura 2000 management teams. The foundation administers the Ersatzzahlung (compensation payment) system, reinvesting funds from environmental impact mitigation into nature conservation in the counties and landscapes where damage occurred.

Product overview

Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg operates as a state foundation for practical nature conservation with multiple interconnected programs. The foundation manages a portfolio of EU LIFE-funded conservation projects (LIFE Trockenrasen, LIFE Bachmuschel, LIFE Feuchtwälder, LIFE Sandrasen, LIFE Kalkmoore) alongside its flagship FROG amphibian protection project. Core services include project funding for external conservation initiatives, management of 9,434 hectares of protected land, the Naturwacht ranger service for protected area monitoring and visitor education, and Natura-2000 team management. Since 1995, the foundation has facilitated over 1,300 conservation projects across Brandenburg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Naturwacht: Ranger service operating in Brandenburg's protected areas including national parks, nature parks, and biosphere reserves. The Naturwacht provides visitor services, nature education, and area management across Brandenburg's protected landscapes.
• FROG
• LIFE Bachmuschel
• LIFE Trockenrasen
• LIFE Feuchtwälder
• LIFE Sandrasen
• LIFE Kalkmoore

Products and services

• FROG - Förderung, Revitalisierung und Optimierung von (Klein-)Gewässern Multi-year amphibian habitat protection project focused on the revitalization of small water bodies, flowing waters, and moorlands across Brandenburg. Targets 74 small waters, 3 flowing waters, and 1 moor to be made amphibian-fit by 2030 across 23 measure areas in 10 counties plus Frankfurt (Oder).
• LIFE Bachmuschel EU-funded species and water protection project dedicated to protecting the freshwater pearl mussel (Bachmuschel) and improving aquatic ecosystems through habitat restoration and population support measures across 11 river systems in Brandenburg.
• LIFE Trockenrasen EU LIFE project for the protection, preservation, and restoration of valuable dry grassland habitats across 29 Natura 2000 sites in seven Brandenburg counties.
• LIFE Feuchtwälder Completed EU LIFE project (2014–2022) focused on the preservation and restoration of riparian and bog forests across 10 Natura 2000 sites in Brandenburg.
• LIFE Sandrasen Completed EU LIFE project (2013–2019) for the protection of endangered sand dry grasslands in the Dahme Lake area of Brandenburg.
• LIFE Kalkmoore Completed EU LIFE project (2010–2015) for the preservation and restoration of calcium-rich low moors (brown moss moors) in Brandenburg, establishing Germany as a pioneer in this conservation field.
• Projektförderung (Project Funding) Funding service providing financial support to counties, municipalities, associations, clubs, agricultural businesses, church communities, and private individuals who wish to implement nature conservation projects in Brandenburg. Funding is open to applicants seeking to protect nature via the foundation's Project Funding Application Process.
• Naturwacht (Nature Watch) Ranger service operating in Brandenburg's protected areas including national parks, nature parks, and biosphere reserves. Naturwacht provides visitor services, nature education, area management, and Ranger Tours with 350 volunteers supporting foundation work.
• Stiftungsflächen (Foundation Land Holdings) Foundation-managed protected land holdings totaling 9,434 hectares, secured for future generations for biotope and species protection, with current footprint spanning regions across Brandenburg between Uckermark and Lausitz, and between Oder and Elbe.
• Natura 2000 Teams Dedicated teams managing and monitoring Natura 2000 protected areas across Brandenburg, supporting implementation of the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive at the regional level.
• Ersatzzahlungen (Compensation Payments Management) Management of compensation payments (Ersatzzahlungen) collected from parties causing environmental damage that cannot be avoided or compensated through mitigation measures. Funds are reinvested in nature conservation in the specific counties and natural areas where the environmental damage occurred. The foundation has administered this system since 1995.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,434 hectares of protected land holdings secured for future generations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institut für Binnenfischerei e. V. Potsdam-SacrowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Key partner in LIFE Bachmuschel project for protection of freshwater pearl mussel and river ecosystems. Receives 8.7 million EUR EU LIFE funding with up to 4 million EUR foundation contribution. The institute contributes expertise in fish ecology and mussel propagation.
• Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in LIFE Bachmuschel project for protection of freshwater pearl mussel and river ecosystems across 9 river systems.
• Botanischer Garten der Universität PotsdamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in LIFE Trockenrasen project for protection and preservation of valuable dry grassland habitats in 29 Natura 2000 areas across 7 Brandenburg counties. Project receives 4.7 million EUR EU LIFE funding.
• NABU-Stiftung Nationales NaturerbecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in LIFE Trockenrasen project for dry grassland protection.
• Landesamt für Umwelt (LfU) BrandenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner in LIFE Feuchtwälder project for preservation and restoration of floodplain and moor forests along Stepenitz, Dahme and Rhin rivers.
• NABU StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner in LIFE Feuchtwälder project for preservation and restoration of floodplain and moor forests.
• Stiftung EuronaturcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partner in LIFE Feuchtwälder project for preservation and restoration of floodplain and moor forests.
• Naturpark Dahme-HeideseencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Partner in LIFE Sandrasen project for protection of endangered sand dry grasslands in the Dahme Lake area. The project ran from 2013 to 2019 with 1.8 million EUR from EU LIFE programme.
• Landesamt für Umwelt, Gesundheit und Verbraucherschutz (LfU) BrandenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partner in LIFE Kalkmoore project for the preservation and restoration of calcium-rich low moors (brown moss moors) in Brandenburg. The project ran from 2010 to 2015.
• Michael Succow Stiftung zum Schutz der NaturcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partner in LIFE Kalkmoore project for preservation of brown moss moors in Brandenburg.
• Stiftung Europäisches NaturerbecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partner in LIFE Kalkmoore project for preservation of brown moss moors in Brandenburg.
• NABU-Stiftung Nationales NaturerbecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partner in LIFE Kalkmoore project for preservation of brown moss moors in Brandenburg.
• Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) Regionalverband Strausberg – Märkische Schweiz e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Partner in LIFE Kalkmoore project for preservation of brown moss moors in Brandenburg.
• Landesanglerverband BrandenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImportant practical partner for river restoration projects. Collaborates on fish species protection and restocking, including as host fish for freshwater pearl mussel larvae. Has deployed 900 gudgeon into Dosse and Karthane rivers.
• Anglerverein Fario e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on river restoration and fish restocking projects, including salmon and sea trout reintroduction into the Stepenitz river. Joint tree planting efforts along the Dosse river.
• Hushållningssällskapet Halland (Schweden)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMussel expert from Sweden assisted with freshwater pearl mussel propagation methods in Brandenburg.
• Ökohof Gotsgarten (Schmerkendorf)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal agricultural partner for FROG project. Collaborated on creating three small waters on farm pastures for amphibian habitat. Farm's Highland cattle provide gentle grazing to prevent succession.
• Gewässerunterhaltungsverband (GUV) Kremitz-NeugrabencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for FROG project implementing construction work to restore old swimming pool in Schönewalde as amphibian habitat.
• Wasser- und Landschaftspflegeverband (WLV) Untere SpreecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing construction measures for FROG project in Frankfurt (Oder) city forest, restoring small waters for amphibian habitat.
• Gemeinde NiedergörsdorfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for FROG project, owner of land where two desilted ponds serve as spawning grounds for amphibians.
• D. Garnatz & Söhne GbR Erd- & WasserbaucoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal construction firm from Alt Ruppin implementing river restoration work including gravel and dead wood installation in Rheinsberger Rhin.
• BSD Baustoff- und Gewässersanierung (Dessau)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialized firm for natural waterway construction implementing river restoration including reconnection of 430m river oxbow to Stepenitz.
• Fließgrund Agrarproduktion GmbH SchönewaldeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural partner allowing use of fields for disposal of excavated material from pond restoration in Schönewalde.
• Johann Wacht BauunternehmencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal construction firm implementing amphibian habitat creation in Schmerkendorf, carefully ensuring pools have both deep and shallow zones.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and biodiversity conservation association with 900,000+ members, operating nationwide on habitat protection, species conservation, and policy advocacy — a direct comparator in scope (conservation projects, EU LIFE execution) though operating as a federal NGO rather than a state foundation.
• Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU): Germany's largest environmental foundation with approximately EUR 2 billion in assets, funding nature conservation, environmental technology, and education projects nationwide — comparable funding-mechanism peer though operating at a federal scale.
• BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland): One of Germany's largest environmental NGOs with hundreds of thousands of members, operating nationally on biodiversity, climate, and conservation policy — comparable advocacy and conservation execution scope.
• WWF Deutschland: German arm of the global WWF network, executing large habitat conservation and species-protection projects with corporate and public funding — relevant comparator for major EU LIFE project delivery and donor stewardship.

Direct peers

• Heinz Sielmann Stiftung: Major German nature conservation foundation focused on biodiversity hotspots, large protected areas, and species protection projects across Germany — comparable institutional model and project execution at a national scale.
• Stiftung Europäisches Naturerbe (EuroNatur): European nature foundation focused on transboundary habitat protection and EU-funded conservation — direct co-development partner in LIFE Feuchtwälder and LIFE Bachmuschel, comparable funding model and project execution.
• Stiftung Naturlandschaften Brandenburg: Brandenburg-based nature conservation foundation focused on acquiring and managing large protected wilderness areas — direct geographic peer managing similar protected-land assets in the same state.
• Michael Succow Stiftung zum Schutz der Natur: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / Brandenburg-based foundation named after the famous German conservationist; partners with NSF on LIFE Kalkmoore and operates comparable EU-funded habitat restoration projects in northeastern Germany.
• NABU-Stiftung Nationales Naturerbe: NABU-affiliated foundation that acquires and manages large protected areas across Germany — direct institutional peer; the two are co-development partners in multiple LIFE projects (Kalkmoore, Trockenrasen, Feuchtwälder).

Others

• Landesamt für Umwelt Brandenburg (LfU): Brandenburg's state environmental agency — adjacent public-sector partner and co-development counterpart on LIFE Kalkmoore, LIFE Feuchtwälder, and other conservation projects; not a competitor but the principal regulatory and operational state counterpart.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/naturschutzfonds
• Instagraminstagram.com/naturschutzfonds_brandenburg
• Xx.com/naturvielfalt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-naturschutzfonds-brandenburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stiftung Naturschutzfonds Brandenburg