Administrative court stops structural expansion of the Gatow landscape cemetery due to protected fence lizards

Administrative court stops structural expansion of the Gatow landscape cemetery due to protected fence lizards

The Berlin Administrative Court stipulated in a current decision that the Spandau district is initially not allowed to carry out the Gatow landscape cemetery. The reason for this is the habitat of the lizards based there, which would be threatened by the construction work.

According to the court order, the district is obliged to capture the cockroachs in advance and to move to protect their population. The consent of the upper nature conservation authority is required for the final termination of the capture.

The NABU Berlin (Nature Conservation Association) welcomes this judicial decision. Even before the court hearing, the nature conservation association, together with the Spandau district, had begun to capture the fence lizards and to move. 45 animals have already been implemented successfully by mid -June. It is expected that a total of around 100 fence lizards can be relocated.

The legal dispute arose due to an exemption that the Senate Environmental Administration granted the district of Spandau for the planned expansion of the cemetery. However, the NABU made an urgent procedure and called for the relocation of the lizards.

It should be noted that Muslim graves should also be created in the landscape cemetery in Gatow, since there is a lack of such in Berlin.

Overall, this case shows the importance of nature and species protection in structural extensions and illustrates that even in heavily populated areas, the preservation of habitats and the protection of animal species must be observed.