Reduction of liability risks in forests and recreational areas

The German Tourism Association (DTV) and the German Hiking Association (DWV) expressly welcome the fact that the federal and state governments agreed on a decisive step towards reducing liability risks in forests and other publicly accessible recreational areas at the Minister Presidents' Conference in Berlin on December 4. Both associations have been campaigning intensively in recent weeks for this reform to finally be implemented - and see the planned legal clarification as a long overdue breakthrough.

The amendments should lead to greater legal certainty, reduce bureaucratic burdens and continue to enable low-threshold access to nature. From the associations' perspective, it is of key importance that the announced changes to the law now come into force quickly and as planned by December 31, 2026 at the latest.

"The legal amendments will finally create legal clarity. This is particularly good news for our many volunteers who work hard to maintain and expand existing hiking infrastructure such as seating, information boards and signposts in the forest," says Dr. Bernd Hartmann, Managing Director of DWV.

An essential part of the agenda concerns the reduction of liability risks in the public use of waters, forests and the use of free and unlicensed public facilities such as parks. In future, these are to be expressly defined by law as use "at one's own risk". Liability for traffic safety obligations will be limited to gross negligence and intent. Changes to federal and state law are planned for this.