Key legal question
Whether terrain alterations destroying a hedge or other ecologically valuable biotopes may be stopped without prior individual protection designation.
Extracted holding
Yes. Sections 17 and 20 NHV protect such objects by law; a prior protection zone or individual protection order is not required.
Extracted reasoning
The court held that the NHV’s general protection rules aim at the direct legal protection of specific biotope types. The prohibition therefore applies independently of a prior designation decision.