Last updated: August 2024
Mehr Bienen für Berln - Berlin blüht auf is a project that aims to provide an example of how public green spaces can be upgraded to be pollinator-friendly, thus creating urban habitats for wild bees and other insect species (Ref. 4). The project was implemented by the German Wildlife Foundation in cooperation with the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment and other stakeholders, in all 12 Berlin districts, whereby the districts support the allocation of the exact location for the NBS (Ref. 3; Ref. 4). Measures for each location are compiled based on the specific surroundings, use and existing vegetation with a low mowing frequency in all areas (Ref. 2; Ref. 4). Most of the areas are road median strips, roundabouts, designated areas in parks or residual commercial areas (Ref. 4). After the first phase (2018-2022), the project has now entered its second phase (2023-2025) and was renamed to “Mehr Bienen in Berlin - Aus Grün wird Bunt” (engl.: More bees in Berlin - from green to colourful) (Ref. 3). The main goals are to reach a minimum of 100 flowering areas in 2025, to halt the sharp decline in bees and other insects, and to inspire citizens to protect wild bees (Ref. 1,2, 3). The project has so far limited acceptance among the population, as the areas are regarded as unkempt due to the low mowing frequency. Public relations work, like the installation of information signs next to the areas, is intended to increase understanding among the public (Ref. 4).
Flowered space at Altonaer Straße in Berlin
Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Institutional green space
- Other
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
Key priorities
Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of any other green urban spaces, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Creating nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, or biodiversity hotspots to conserve unique ecosystems, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Strategy, plan or policy development, Implementation of city-wide or neighborhood initiatives focused on biodiverity protection (e.g. bee-friendly initiatives, butterfly protection, "Spring cleaning"), Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Habitat mapping, restoration and monitoring-focused management, Species-specific monitoring and conservation programs
Project objectives
The project aims:
to increase biodiversity by restoring green spaces for bees and other pollinating insects (Ref. 2),
to attract a diverse set of pollinating insects and plant a diverse set of native plant species (Ref. 2),
to increase number of flowering areas in Berlin to a total minimum of 100 (Ref. 3),
to raise awareness for biodiversity and bees through environmental education and intense information campaign (Ref. 6),
to enhance public open spaces and other private open spaces for wild bees and other pollinators (habitats and food supply) (Ref. 4; Ref. 6).
Implementation activities
The German Wildlife Foundation is responsible for implementing and evaluating the project, managing public relations, organizing environmental education workshops, and training district employees and maintenance staff. (Ref.2, Ref.3, Ref.4) Key initiatives include restoring urban green spaces, building insect hotels for pollinators, promoting diverse plant species and restoring a diverse set of plants to create food supply for pollinating insects (Ref.1, Ref.2). A public media campaign will advocate for species-rich meadows and less-mowed areas. The project also involves creating educational materials for schools, raising local awareness through workshops, and testing project measures for effectiveness and cost (Ref.2, Ref.4) including testing and evaluation of measures developed throughout the project in close cooperation with the green space management of the districts about their practicability, costs and effectiveness for pollinating insects (Ref. 6). Ongoing monitoring and maintenance will assess vegetation and bee populations, and address urban plant suitability in extreme conditions.(Ref.6)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Restore valued species
- Restore endangered species
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Unknown
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project is implemented by the German Wildlife Foundation (Deutsche Wildtierstiftung) in cooperation with the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment (Ref. 3).
The Senate Department is financing the project (Ref. 2; Ref. 6).
The German Wildlife Foundation is responsible for the main actions of implementations (Ref. 2; Ref. 3; Ref. 4). The choice of project areas is done in cooperation between the German Wildlife Foundation and the districts of Berlin (Ref. 2; ).
Additionally, larger property owners like housing associations, and private actors such as Deutsche Bahn, Berliner Wasserbetriebe, and Rahaus have joined the project, offering their land. (Ref.4)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Strategy for the protection and promotion of bees and other pollinators in Berlin; it is not specified whether the strategy works on a regional or local level (Berlin is both city and state at the same time) (Ref. 1; Ref. 6). )
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Expected increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
- Increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Achieved increased presence and recovery of wild species
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Achieved increased protection of threatened species
- Expected increased protection of threatened species
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Achieved enhanced support of pollination
- Expected enhanced support of pollination
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
- Expected restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
- Expected increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
Yes
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Lack of social acceptance
References
1.
Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment (n.d.). Bestäuber im Fokus. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
2.
German Wildlife Foundation (n.d.). Wildbienen in Berlin. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment (n.d.). Mehr Bienen für Berlin - aus Grün wird Bunt!. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Prof. Dr. Kühn, N., Trapp, L. & von Vietinghoff, J. (n.d.). Bienen Hotspot Berlin. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Gazette Schöneberg & Friedenau (n.d.). Mehr Bienen für Berlin - Berlin blüht auf!. Accessed on August 1, 2024, [Source link];
6.
House of Representatives Berlin (2022). Schriftliche Anfrage des Abgeordneten Dr. Turgut Altuğ (GRÜNE). Accessed on August 2, 2024, [Source link];
Flowering space at the Nelly Sachs Park in Berlin
Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.