The Data Protection Officer also is the contact person for the enforcement of your rights as a data subject.

Viewing of the website (server logs)

You can view our website without providing any personal information. Each time a web page is viewed, the web server automatically solely saves a server log file – with data such as the name of the requested file, your IP address, the date and time of the request, the volume of data transferred and the requesting provider (access data) – and logs the request. This access data is stored for the sole purpose of ensuring problem-free operation of the website. No user analysis or profiling is performed. It is impossible for the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation to identify you via the IP number in the server log file and this will not be attempted. The data is not used for statistical purposes. We do not pass on this data to third parties for commercial or non-commercial use. The data is deleted no later than 14 days after you cease to view the website.

Data logged when users access the BfN website is transmitted to third parties solely to the extent required by law or by court order or to the extent needed for law enforcement and prosecution purposes in the event of attacks on internet infrastructure.

Viewing of the website (access statistics)  

For the analysis of usage data on this website, we use services provided by etracker GmbH, Hamburg, Germany.

By default, no cookies are used for web analytics. To the extent that we do use analytics and optimisation cookies, we obtain your explicit consent separately in advance. In that event, if you give your consent, cookies are used to perform statistical coverage analysis for the website, measure the success of our online marketing campaigns or to test and optimise different versions of our website or subsites. Cookies are small text files that a web browser stores on the user’s device. etracker cookies do not contain any information that makes it possible to identify the user.

The data generated with etracker is processed and stored on the website provider’s behalf by etracker exclusively in Germany and is thus subject to strict German and European data protection laws and standards. etracker has been independently audited, certified and awarded the ePrivacyseal.

The legal basis of the data processing is Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interest) of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our legitimate interest within the meaning of the GDPR consists in the improvement of our online content and website. As our users’ privacy is important to us, any data that could be used to identify an individual person – such as IP address, login or device IDs – is anonymised or pseudonymised at the earliest possible point. No other use is made of the data, it is not combined with other data and it is not shared with any third party.

You can object to the data processing described above at any time. Objecting to data processing has no adverse consequences.

If the opt-out button is not displayed at this point, it may be blocked by javascripts from your browser or addons.

When you access the BfN website, technically necessary cookies are created that are absolutely essential for the functioning of our website. These session cookies do not contain any personal data and are deleted after forms are submitted or the browser closed. The information they contain is not combined with personal data.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data using technically necessary cookies is Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR.

If you have given your consent for this purpose in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR, we use third-party cookies for external media. Data is then transferred to YouTube or Google when our videos are played.

You can configure your browser settings according to your preferences, for example to reject all cookies automatically. Please note that you may not then be able to use all functions of this website.

Reset cookie settings

When you order information material or register for an event, we will ask for your name and other personal information in the contact form. You are free to decide whether you want to provide this data. You can also subsequently withdraw your consent for its use. When you place an order, your personal data is used solely for fulfilment of the order. This includes the transfer of your data to distribution service providers operating under contract to BfN. The data concerned is stored on secure servers located in Germany. It can only be accessed by a small number of authorised individuals responsible for technical and administrative management of the servers.

If you send us a message using the contact form or by email, your data will be used for our correspondence with you. If we receive a message from you via the contact form or by email, we assume that we are permitted to reply by email. Otherwise you need to expressly instruct us to use a different form of communication.

Any enquiries you make with BfN are kept on paper or in electronic form in accordance with the retention periods stipulated for written matter in the German Registry Directive (Registraturrichtlinie). Your data is used solely for direct correspondence with you.

In order to provide this website, we make use of external service providers. Where this requires the processing of personal data (for example to send out newsletters or if you order publications), we have taken organisational measures to ensure that we and our external service providers comply with data protection law.

BfN is active in the social media platforms Twitter, Facebook, Xing and YouTube. We expressly point out that these platforms store the personal data of their users (personal information, IP address, etc.) in accordance with their own data utilisation policies and make use of that data for commercial purposes. BfN has no influence on the collection of data and its subsequent use by social media platforms. It thus has no information about how much, where and for how long data is stored, to what extent the platforms comply with prevailing deletion rules and whom the data is shared with.

Our videos are embedded from YouTube. If you want to play videos on our website, you must confirm this in the privacy settings. Data is transferred to YouTube or Google when our videos are played. Video playback does not start automatically. You start and stop videos, adjust the volume and select full-screen mode using the video controls. Full-screen mode works best if you open the video by selecting its title and then choose full screen. Press ESC to exit full-screen mode at any time

Persons under the age of 16 may not submit personal data to us without the consent of their parents or guardians.

You have the following rights as a data subject

• Under Article 15 of the GDPR, in the scope there specified, the right to obtain access to the personal data concerning you that we process;
• Under Article 16 of the GDPR, the right to obtain rectification or completion, without undue delay, of personal data concerning you that is stored with us;
• Under Article 17 of the GDPR, the right to obtain erasure of the personal data concerning you that is stored with us to the extent that the processing is not necessary for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
• Under Article 18 of the GDPR, the right to obtain restriction of the processing of your personal data to the extent that you contest the accuracy of the data, the processing is unlawful but you oppose its erasure and we no longer need the data, but you require it for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or you have objected to the processing pursuant to Article 21 of the GDPR;
• Under Article 20 of the GDPR, the right to receive the personal data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to have the data transmitted to another controller;
• Under Article 77 of the GDPR, the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. As a rule, you can contact the supervisory authority for your place of habitual residence or place of work or for our registered office.

If you have any questions about the collection, processing or use of your personal data, or if you wish to obtain access to, correction of, restriction of processing or erasure of data, withdraw consent or object to a specific use of data, please contact us directly using the contact details under Legal Information or contact the BfN Data Protection Officer.

Right to object

Where we process personal data as explained above for the purposes of our legitimate interests that are not overridden by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms, you may object to the processing of that data with effect for the future. Where processing is performed for other purposes, you have the right to object solely on grounds relating to your particular situation.

In the event that you exercise your right to object, we will no longer process your personal data for the stated purposes unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for processing that override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing is for the purpose of establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.