Århus, Denmark
City population: 308508
Duration: 2009 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Project area: 32000000 m2
Type of area: Unknown
Last updated: October 2021

The City Council has passed an ambitious woodland plan designed to protect the municipality's groundwater.By planting woods in vulnerable areas where boreholes have been drilled for drinking water, the use of pesticides or other pollutants in the immediate area can be avoided. Aarhus residents will be ensured clean drinking water in 20 years even though the population is rising.(Ref. 2) New woodlands west of Aarhus will be a magnet for lovers of the open air, and secure clean drinking water for the city's population.(Ref. 1)

Afforestation Near the Aabo Waterwork Catchment in Aarhus
Afforestation Near the Aabo Waterwork Catchment in Aarhus
Peter Søgaard (Aarhus Municipality), retrieved 08/29/2018

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
  • Improvements to water quality
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity restoration
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Improved governance of green or blue areas

Project objectives

-Afforestation of the urban fringe is a key priority in Aarhus municipality. (Ref. 3) The City of Aarhus has ambitious plans for the local forests and the intention is to increase the absorption of CO2 in nature zones. By 2030 the forest area in the City of Aarhus will have doubled. (Ref. 4) -Additionally, the project aims to secure clean drinking water for the city's population; it also aims to create recreational areas for local residents and ensures biodiversity through the provision of the optimum living conditions required for fauna and flora. (Ref. 1) -The latest plan from 2009-2012 had the goal of afforesting 320 ha of new forest in the four years period, which succeeded by the partnerships approach.(Ref 3)

Implementation activities

A total of 221 ha of public woods has been planted within the municipality's boundaries over the last 5 years (130 ha owned by the state and 91 by the City Council). (Ref. 1) 'Growing Trees Network' makes it possible for businesses, clubs, associations and even private individuals to support afforestation by buying trees (Ref 1). The City Council has passed an ambitious woodland plan designed to protect the municipality's groundwater. By planting woods in vulnerable areas where boreholes have been drilled for drinking water, the use of pesticides or other pollutants in the immediate area can be avoided.Aarhus residents will be ensured clean drinking water in 20 years even though the population is rising.(Ref. 2)

Climate-focused activities

Climate change mitigation:

  • Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
  • Implement sustainable forest management measures to increase carbon sinks/ improve carbon storage

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity restoration:

  • Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
  • Restore ecological connectivity
  • Other

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Responsible for the project is Department of Nature and Environment (City of Aarhus). (Ref. 5) Much of the green space planning and management in Aarhus is based on partnerships (e.g. the afforestation project) with private people, land owners, CCs, NGOs, clubs and other actors. (Ref. 3) The 'Growing Trees Network', which has collaborated with the Department of Technical Services and Environment to develop the 'folkeskoven.dk' concept, designed to make it possible for business and city residents to donate trees to a public wood on council land, to play an important role in the city's plan to plant 3,200 hectares of new woodland by 2030. (Ref. 7)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The forests of the city of Århus were certified in 2007 (showing that management of the forests in the city is sustainable and responsible), using the same standards (FSC and PEFC standards) as the national Forest and Nature Agency (Skov- og naturstyrelsen) has chosen for the nation’s forests. (Ref. 6) )
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (An important driver for the achieved urban fringe afforestation is the safeguarding of ground water, particularly in relation to the increasing demand of water resources by increasing population numbers, included in the Municipal Plan 2013 and Afforestation Plan 2009-2012. (Ref. 3) Planting trees is a key element of the Council's drinking water protection policy. (Ref. 1) Also, the city's 'Forestry development plan' (Skovudviklingsplan). (Ref. 6) )

Financing

Total cost

€2,000,000 - €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of labour
  • Other
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Increased market share for green economies
  • Other

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Other

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

Yes

References

Ref. 1. City of Aarhus (2016) New woodlands protect drinking water, nature and outdoor activities. Projects. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref. 2. City of Aarhus (2016) New woodlands will protect drinking water and the outdoor lifestyle. Targets. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref. 3. Green Surge (2015) Aarhus, Denmark: case study city portrait; part of the Green Surge study on urban green infrastructure planning and governance in 20 European cities. Aarhus Municipality. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref. 4. Aarhus kommune (n.d.) Aarhus CO2 neutral in 2030 - tackling climate change in EcoCity Aarhus. City of Aarhus. Source: Source link [Accessed 11 September 2020]
Ref. 5. City of Aarhus (2016) Close collaboration for new wood. Projects. Information obtained: 2017-06-22. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref. 6. Århus Kommune (n.d.) Skovudviklingsplan 2010-2020. Århus CO2 neutral i 2030. Source: Source link [Accessed on 18 September 2020]
Ref. 7. City of Aarhus (2016) Growing Trees Network. Partners. Information obtained: 2017-06-22. [Website unavailable in 2020]
Ref. 8. Aarhus Kommune (2014) Sag 3: Skovrejsning 2009 2012. Source: Source link [Accessed on 18 September 2020]
Ref. 9. Growing Trees (2013) Fokus er lokalt - målet nationalt. Her planter vi. Information obtained: 2017-06-22. Source: Source link [Accessed 11 September 2020]
Ref. 10. Wikipedia (2015) De nye Aarhus Skove. Source: Source link [Accessed 18 September 2020]
Afforestation Near the Aabo Waterwork Catchment in Aarhus
Afforestation Near the Aabo Waterwork Catchment in Aarhus
Peter Søgaard (Aarhus Municipality), retrieved 08/29/2018