Eco-points in natural region D65
Unterbayerisches Hügelland und Isar-Inn-Schotterplatten
In the Unterbayerisches Hügelland (BfN natural region D65), eco-points arise where habitats are specifically upgraded. greeNature supports project developers and landowners as a partner for legally sound compensation under the BayKompV.
Natural region D65 at a glance
The Unterbayerisches Hügelland forms the German part of the Tertiary Hill Country and occupies a large part of the Lower Bavaria administrative region, along with shares in northern Upper Bavaria and the southern Upper Palatinate. In the classification of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the major landscape D65 comprises the Unterbayerisches Hügelland and the Isar-Inn-Schotterplatten adjoining to the south. The Bayerischer Wald borders it to the north-east, the Fränkische Alb to the north-west, the Donau-Iller-Lech-Platte to the west, and the Voralpines Hügel- und Moorland to the south.
Geologically, the subsoil is shaped by the Upper Freshwater Molasse, a sediment body from the Miocene deposited in the Molasse basin around 18 to 10 million years ago. During the ice ages, winds blew fine material out of the gravel flats and deposited it as loess and loess loam on the plateaus and south-facing slopes. Intensive arable farming has developed on these fertile soils, extending into the valley spaces. The Isar-Inn-Schotterplatten in the south, by contrast, consist of ice-age and Pliocene river gravels.
The landscape is strongly shaped by agriculture and crossed by a dense network of asymmetric valleys. On hilltops and steeper slopes, spruce-dominated plantations often stand, while near-natural broadleaf mixed woodland of oak-hornbeam woodland or beech survives only in small patches. In the valleys of the Vils and its tributaries, narrow strips of grassland, litter meadows and wet habitats have been preserved. Also characteristic are hedgerows, field copses, calcareous grassland and spring-fed flushes, which play an important role as stepping stones in the cleared open land.
The share of statutorily protected land is comparatively low in the natural region; many near-natural habitats have been pushed back and impoverished by intensive use. This creates a high need for targeted upgrading measures. For compensation under the BayKompV, the natural-region reference is decisive; the impact and the compensation should, where possible, lie within the same natural region, so that the measures genuinely benefit the affected species and habitats.
📍 Districts covered
🌿 Ecological features
- The Hallertau, the world's largest contiguous hop-growing region, lies in the western part.
- In the south-east lies the Niederbayerisches Bäderdreieck (Lower Bavarian spa triangle) around Bad Füssing, Bad Birnbach and Bad Griesbach.
- Fertile loess and loess loam soils enable one of the most intensive arable farming uses in Bavaria.
- The subsoil of Upper Freshwater Molasse forms the typical relief of asymmetric valley cross-sections.
- Spruce plantations frequently dominate on hilltops and steep slopes; near-natural broadleaf woodland has become rare.
- The share of FFH sites, bird sanctuaries and nature reserves is comparatively low in the natural region.
- The Isar-Inn-Schotterplatten, with their river gravels and valley floodplains, form the southern part of the major landscape.
✅ greeNature in this region
As a specialist firm for nature conservation compensation, greeNature develops compensation land in the Unterbayerisches Hügelland that fits the natural region. We bring together landowners, municipalities and project developers, secure measures via an eco-account under the BayKompV, and document the eco-points achieved in a traceable way. The focus is on measures that benefit regionally typical species and habitats, such as converting spruce plantations, enriching the arable landscape with structures, and restoring streams and small water bodies.
Typical measures in natural region D65
Converting spruce plantations
On the hilltops and slopes of the hill country, spruce-dominated stands are converted into site-appropriate broadleaf mixed woodland of oak-hornbeam woodland or beech. This increases climate stability and creates habitat for forest-dependent species.
Hedgerows and field copses
New hedgerows, field copses and herbaceous field margins are created and connected in the cleared arable landscape. They serve as stepping stones and foraging habitat, for example for red-backed shrike, grey partridge and hazel dormouse.
Extensification of valley meadows
Along the Vils and its tributaries, grassland areas are extensified and, where possible, rewetted. Litter meadows and wet grassland benefit meadow-breeding birds and the insect world.
Farmland bird protection and flowering areas
Field margins, perennial flowering areas and lark plots strengthen open-land species. As CEF measures under § 44 BNatSchG, they can compensate in advance for the loss of ecological function for skylark or northern lapwing.
Restoring watercourses
Streams are given structure, riparian buffer strips are created and former watercourses are reconnected. Near-natural watercourses improve connectivity and provide habitat for kingfisher and water-dependent species.
Creating spawning waters
New small water bodies and spawning waters are created and connected into amphibian networks. For the great crested newt, this allows targeted CEF measures to be implemented with reference to the favourable conservation status (FCS).
Protected species in the Unterbayerisches Hügelland und Isar-Inn-Schotterplatten
Skylark
A characteristic breeding bird of the open arable landscape. The skylark is protected under European law and is declining sharply in intensively used farmland, which is why it frequently triggers CEF measures.
About this species ›Northern lapwing
A meadow-breeding bird of wet meadows and arable hollows. The northern lapwing is sensitive to intensification of use and drainage and is on the Red List.
About this species ›Eurasian curlew
A meadow-breeding bird of wet valley floodplains and fen bogs. The Eurasian curlew requires extensive, extensively managed wet grassland and is considered severely endangered.
Great crested newt
A species listed in FFH Annexes II and IV, recorded in the natural region among other places in the Kranzberger Forst. The great crested newt needs sunlit, fish-free small water bodies with structurally rich surroundings.
About this species ›Sand lizard
A strictly protected species under FFH Annex IV. The sand lizard inhabits embankments, field margins and railway embankments and must regularly be taken into account for species protection in the case of impacts.
About this species ›Kingfisher
Found along near-natural watercourses of the Vils, Isar and Inn. The kingfisher is protected under Annex I of the Birds Directive and depends on clean, structurally rich waters with steep banks.
About this species ›Your route to eco-points in D65
Contact and enquiry
Tell us your compensation requirement and the natural region. We check availability.
Offer and advice
A transparent offer covering measure types, scope and availability.
Coordination with authorities
Full coordination with the lower nature conservation authority. We handle everything.
Long-term monitoring
Permanent securing of the land, management and documentation across the contract term.
Eco-points in neighbouring natural regions
All about natural region D65
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We will promptly prepare a transparent offer with matching eco-points held in stock in the Unterbayerisches Hügelland und Isar-Inn-Schotterplatten.