, Germany
City population: 264467
Duration: 2007 – 2011
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 3000000 m2
Type of area: Public Greenspace Area
Last updated: June 2024

Management of natural lime-dry grasslands on gravel banks in Augsburg is conducted by the Landcape Association of the City of Augsburg (Bavaria, Germany). 300 ha of biotopes within the municipal area is maintained due to sheep grazing, mowing management, scrub clearance and reopening of potential expansion areas as well as further activities to create initial stages of immature soils and recreational purposes (Ref. 1).

Pictures of deer grazing on trees and grass in vegetated area
https://www.dbu.de/OPAC/ab/DBU-Abschlussbericht-AZ-22925.pdf

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Blue infrastructure
  • Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
  • In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

  • Environmental quality
  • Soil quality improvement
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Habitat and biodiversity conservation
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Water management (SDG 6)
  • Flood protection
  • Improvements to water quality
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of historic traditions
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Effective management
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental education
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Tourism support

Focus

Maintenance and management of urban nature, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas

Project objectives

1. To prevent the loss of biodiversity along the Augsburg city forest backwaters (Ref. 1) 2. Integration of protected biotope areas (Ref. 1) 3. Sustainable landscape management and development of water-related biotopes in the Stadtwald Augsburg (Ref. 1,4) 4. Creation of an integrated natural reserve Stadtwald Augsburg for the recreation of local citizens and tourists (Ref. 3)

Implementation activities

1. To realize a connected habitat system linear structures such as embankments, river dikes, and transmission routes are used (Ref. 1) 2. Return of streams to natural channels (Ref. 4) 3. Environmental education and dissemination of information among citizens (Ref. 1) 4. Uncleaned sewage and pollutants from intensively cultivated areas removed further from the protected area (Ref. 6) 5. Sustainable landscape management through controlled, historic grazing practices of animals (Ref. 1)

Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities

Biodiversity conservation:

  • Protect and enhance urban habitats
  • Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
  • Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
  • Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
  • Means for conservation governance
  • Raise public awareness

Main beneficiaries

  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

  • Public sector institution

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

Augsburg Landscape Care Association (Landschaftspflegeverband City of Augsburg e.V.) (Ref. 1). The Association conducted management and oversaw the process of regeneration of natural lime-dry grasslands on gravel banks in Augsburg (Ref. 1). "The Landschaftspflegeverband Stadt Augsburg e.V. (LPVA), sponsored by the German Federal Environment Foundation, for a project period of five years from 2007 to the end of 2011 Pre-alpine pine forests on river gravel in the nature reserve "Stadtwald Augsburg" with red deer and Przewalski's horses grazed. The calculated total project costs amounted to € 249,752.50. The requested funding share was 124,876.25 € (corresponds to 50%)" (Ref. 8).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (European Water Framework Directive (Ref. 7) is mentioned in connection to the project. )
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The project takes into consideration restrictions and provisions of drinking water protection and the Forest Act for Bavaria (BayWaldG) (Ref. 1).)
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (The NBS is realized within the requirements of the protected natural reserve „Stadtwald Augsburg“ (1) )

Financing

Total cost

€50,000 - €100,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public national budget

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved soil quality
  • Water management and blue areas
  • Improved water quality
  • Increased protection against flooding
  • Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Increased number of species present

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Protection of natural heritage
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits

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

No evidence in public records

References

1. LIEBIG, N. (2011). Management von Flussschotterheiden in Augsburg. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 5, 2020).
2. Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz (n.d.). Landschaftspflege- und Naturparkrichtlinien (LNPR). Available at: Source link. (Accessed: November 5, 2020).
3. Regio Augsburg Tourismus (n.d.). Wandern. Touren im Alpenvorland um Augsburg. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
4. Wandern. Touren im Alpenvorland um Augsburg (2007). Enthaltung und Entwicklung von Flussschotterheiden. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 5, 2020).
5. Nature tips (2008). Problem Landschaftszerschneidung Lebensraumvernetzung durch Biotopverbund. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 5, 2020).
6. Nature tips (2012). Renaturierung von Fließgewässern Neues Leben für Flüsse und Bäche. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 5, 2020).
7. Stadt Zeitung (2016). Zu wenig Wasser und fehlende Anbindung an den Lech: An den Stadtwaldbächen gibt es viel zu tun. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 5, 2020).
8. Landschaftsplfegeverband Stadt Augsburd E.V. (2007). Beweidungsprojekt Stadtwald Augsburg. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 5, 2020).