Landscape Park Duisburg Nord - Germany

PRINCIPLE UF-NbS (Urban Forests as Nature-Based Solutions) ACTION(S)

• Western Ruhr Region Biological Station (for the ‘Industrial Nature’)
  • Covers all of the Western Ruhr Area and has several bases throughout the Ruhr region, including one in the Landscape Park; The station develops concepts for the preservation and development of the park, and other inner-city green spaces, focusing on research and conservation;
  • Looking after conservation areas;
  • Nature conservation, practical measures for species and habitat protection;
  • Land reclamation;
  • Technical advice;
  • Plan future interventions with the park authorities;
  • Data collection (record plant and animal species);
  • Scientific research;
  • Providing information and education on environment and nature conservation to public;
  • Industrial Nature (nature on former steel and mining industrial land) is a key focus.
  • Two separate farms: Ingenhammshof (farm) & Emstermannshof (more like a green area for walking)
    • Farm school from the workers organisation (AWO), teaching people, especially youth and School courses, from cities the principals of farming and animals
    • Animals (horses, donkey, chicken, goat)
    • Orchard, vegetables, herbs, flowers
  • Enclosed “Bunker” Gardens
    • The bunkers are areas surrounded by high concrete walls, where the materials (e.g. coal, iron ore) were stored and remains left over
    • Different materials left in the bunkers were left to experiments with different soil types in different sections (e.g. Fine soil, or large chunks of concrete from buildings). This develops individual microclimates
    • Some planted, some naturally/wild seeded local plants
    • Some non-native – that come from the steel workers gardens, or were transported with the iron works raw materials
  • Forested areas/plantations
  • Densely vegetated areas
    • Nature left to itself
    • Visitors not allowed to enter these areas, to avoid disturbing the environment, and some parts can be dangerous
  • Swamp areas
  • Water works part of the new Emscher valley project
    • River divided into 5 parts;
    • Filled solely from rainwater – collected from all flat areas (e.g. Building rooves, terraced areas);
    • Some water carried along raised pipes (powered by old wind turbine), used to water plants in enclosed gardens, and collected in a water storage basin. Falls from height back into main canal, this oxygenates the water;
  • The canal is now clean enough and there are several fish species.

OTHER PRINCIPLE NbS ACTION(S) – non-UF

• Culture
  • Festivals & concerts
  • Lights (evenings)
• Leisure
  • Climbing walls and high ropes among old buildings
  • Indoor diving tank – filled from canal, in the gasometer
  • Bike rent; cycle path – extended connects surroundings encourage cycling
  • Footpaths
  • Skate and BMX park
  • Playgrounds
  • Pets corner
  • Playgrounds
  • Geocaching
  • Viewing platform
• History
  • Tours through iron works (Different target groups; themed topics e.g. steel furnaces (Hüttenführungen), Torch Tours (Fackelführung)
  • Viewing platform at top of old blast furnace buildings (Hochhofen 5, only one that can be accessed)
• Hospitality
  • Food and restaurants
• Youth hostel