The goal and purpose of species conservation are to preserve legally protected animal and plant species and to protect their habitats and biotopes. Any action that results in the impairment, disturbance, or destruction of the aforementioned protected resources is prohibited under the Nature Conservation and Landscape Management Act (BNatSchG).

An exemption from these prohibitions may be granted upon application if this is necessary for reasons of overriding public (including social or economic) or if the application of the provision would result in unintended hardship in a specific case and the exemption is compatible with the interests of nature conservation and landscape management.

The granting of exemptions under species protection law and waivers from species protection provisions applies to

1. in connection with specially protected species

• prohibitions on capture, killing, and possession
• the keeping of and trade in specimens of specially protected species
• the marking of specimens of specially protected species

2. in connection with species not subject to special protection

• Permits for the commercial collection of wild plants and wild animals, unless hunting or fishing laws take precedence