Last updated: October 2021
The creation of a new park in Augsburg within the reconstruction project of the Königsplatz (Konig square). The project combined two main goals: modern mobility in harmony with a new quality of life, accessibility of the natural environment inside the urban inner city. Formerly a traffic area, today it is a car-free habitat and green oasis for humans and nature (Ref. 1).
https://www.projekt-augsburg-city.de/gruen-in-augsburg/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Railroad bank and track greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Focus
Creation of new green areas
Project objectives
1. To improve the environmental and aesthetic conditions of the area (Ref. 2)
2. To combine modern mobility and nature within the development of the urban inner city (Ref. 1)
3. To reduce traffic in the area (Ref. 1)
4. To create a green habitat for people and nature (Ref. 1)
5. To create an area for active recreation in the center of the city (Ref. 1)
Implementation activities
1. First trees were planted in advance before the start of the reconstruction (Ref. 2)
2. Some of the overgrown trees was taken out and rejuvenated by new plantings (Ref. 1)
3. The former traffic-oriented Bahnhofstraße became the pedestrian zone (Ref. 2)
4. Some parts of the park were paved (Ref. 2)
5. Cycling paths installed (Ref. 2)
6. More than 20 benches installed 2000 daffodil bulbs planted, 75 bicycle racks (Ref. 1).
7. Great consideration was given to the natural inhabitants of the park. Bats, birds and root stocks were given special protection. The schedule was adjusted to the nesting times and hibernation of the animals. A modern root curtain protected the roots of the trees that were worth preserving" (Ref. 1).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Other
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was commissioned by Augsburg Office for Green Planning and Nature Conservation to a company Stadtwerke Augsburg. Stadtwerke Augsburg is a third-largest supply company in Bavaria, which provides around 350000 people in the Augsburg area with electricity, natural gas, district heating and drinking water. The Ko-Park project was developed within the Stadtwerke environmentally friendly mobility program for the city (Ref. 3). Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV), which aims at nature conservation and protection of natural habitats in the Bavarian region, were consultants at Ko-Park project (Ref. 1,4).
All measures were already coordinated with the nature conservation authorities, biologists and interest groups such as the State Association for Bird Protection as part of the planning process, but also during implementation (ref 1.)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(The EU Habitats Directive ensures the conservation of a wide range of rare, threatened or endemic animal and plant species. Some 200 rare and characteristic habitat types are also targeted for conservation in their own right (Ref. 5).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Ko-Park is developed within the Augsburg urban development plan "Project Augsburg City" (Development plan №500 "Königsplatz and Augsburg-Boulevard"). The Project assumes the regeneration of the urban mobility and greenery in the center of the city (Ref. 1).)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Energy efficiency improvements
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Porjekt Augsburg (n.d.). Unsere Verantwortung: natürlich grün. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
2. Krog, S. (2012). Der Kö-Park wird gepflastert. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
3. Stadtwerke Augsburg. (n.d.). Stadtwerke Augsburg. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
4. LBV (n.d.). The EU Habitats Directive, Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV). Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
5. European Commission (n.d.). The Habitats Directive. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
6. Wikipedia (n.d.). Königsplatz (Augsburg). Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
2. Krog, S. (2012). Der Kö-Park wird gepflastert. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
3. Stadtwerke Augsburg. (n.d.). Stadtwerke Augsburg. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
4. LBV (n.d.). The EU Habitats Directive, Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV). Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
5. European Commission (n.d.). The Habitats Directive. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).
6. Wikipedia (n.d.). Königsplatz (Augsburg). Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 4, 2020).