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Hanover (dpa / lni) - The "Lower Saxony Way" for more biodiversity and environmental protection in agriculture comes one step closer to implementation.

The environmental associations involved, the farmers' association and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment agreed on further key points for more nature, species and water protection.

This involves the protection of biotopes and new ecological stations in protected areas.

An expanded range of advice on biotope and species protection for farmers has also been developed.

"Only together with agriculture and nature conservation can politics really achieve something for more species protection," said Environment Minister Olaf Lies (SPD).

"We are currently working flat out to implement our diverse measures."

Agriculture Minister Barbara Otte-Kinast (CDU) praised the progress.

"After the partners reached an agreement last year, we embarked on an intensive implementation process."

Under the pressure of a referendum for more biodiversity, the state government reached an agreement with the associations and the agricultural sector on a balance between the interests of nature conservation and farmers, which was passed by the state parliament in November.

It also provides compensation payments to farmers for more nature conservation.

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"Today we agreed on very specific measures for the implementation of the state-wide biotope network," said rural people president Holger Hennies.

"But we cannot and must not let our successful common path be ruined by blanket federal regulations that are unsuitable for Lower Saxony."

The concerns of the associations and state politicians are that the Lower Saxony approach will be torpedoed by the insect protection package decided by the Federal Cabinet two weeks ago.

It is feared that stricter federal regulations will undermine the Lower Saxony compromise.

"There is still a long way to go before the extinction of species can be stopped, but the" Lower Saxony Way "is pointing in the right direction," said the state chairman of the Nature Conservation Union (Nabu), Holger Buschmann.

"After the laws passed last year, we are now gradually implementing it and making important progress."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210226-99-609006 / 2

PM Environment / Ministry of Agriculture