Last updated: November 2024
The Panke is a watercourse that rises outside Berlin and reaches the urban area of the city, flows through the districts of Pankow and Mitte and flows into the Berlin-Spandau Ship Canal in Wedding. The length of the Panke is around 29 kilometres. Almost the entire length of the Panke in Berlin (around 17.6 km) is to be renaturalised - on the section from the state border in the north of Berlin to its confluence with the Berlin-Spandauer-Schifffahrtskanal (BSSK). The Panke is currently a small watercourse that has been heavily remodelled by humans. In large parts of the watercourse, the banks have been straightened like a canal and reinforced with sheet piling, among other things. Existing riverbed drops and weirs prevent fish from travelling unhindered through the watercourse. Studies on water body (structural) quality, typification and other biological quality characteristics have shown that the Panke has poor status values in the majority of Berlin's sections, e.g. in terms of the fish population. The negative assessment results are primarily attributed to the lack of habitat and structural diversity, the lack of passability of the watercourse and, in some cases, high nutrient loads. (Ref. 1) The restoration of the river was initiated by the State Berlin, following the European Water Framework Directive. The central aim is to implement flood plains and recreate the pre-straightened water course, to ensure space for flooding, habitats for more diverse flora and fauna, increase water flow for better water quality and create a site for recreation in a densely built city. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2) The project started back in 2003 and is expected to be finished in the 2030s (Ref. 2; Ref. 7).
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- River flooding
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Poor water quality
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration, Restoration, protecion and sustainable manage floodplains, Restoration of riparian vegetation, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Improved governance of green or blue areas, Establishment of inclusive governance mechanisms involving local communities
Project objectives
- foster recreational use of the Panke for residents (Ref. 1)
- to integrate community's wishes and opinions by holding several information events and workshops for citizens
- restoration of the ecological continuity and at the same time enable its own dynamic development (Ref. 1)
- improve urban/landscape (Ref. 1)
- ensure flood neutrality through the creation of floodplains (Ref. 1; Ref. 4)
- improve ecological status of water body / water quality through the creation of habitats for plants that filter water (Ref. 1)
- improve urban climate through the creation of floodplains (Ref. 1)
- foster biodiversity of animals in water and riverbanks by changing the watercourse , create niches for plant settling and construction of fish passes
-increase water surface and improve riverbank vegetation to reduce urban heat island effect(Ref. 4)
Implementation activities
The restoration of the Panke is an extensive project and will take place in stages and sections over several years. Following a planning approval procedure with integrated environmental impact assessment (EIA), the project was approved and plans were shared publicly. During the planning stages, several information events and workshops for citizens were held to integrate their wishes and opinions. To restore the course of the river, around 800 trees will have to be taken down, which led to a citizen-led demonstration during the planning phase in the 2010s (Ref. 3). The restoration measures are expected to be finished in the 2030s. (Ref. 2)
The planned/implemented measures (Ref. 1):
- the widening of the riverbed for secondary floodplain creation
- sections with minimum habitat to improve the watercourse structure
- the realignment of the river bed
- restructuring of the shoreline and initial measures for self-development
- adaptation or redesign of the confluence of tributaries and ditches
- construction of additional flood troughs and remodelling of retention basins
- construction of 4 fish ladders or bed slides and 3 fords
- construction of 2 new foot and cycle path bridges
- compensation for the loss of trees and shrubs by planting new native trees and shrubs appropriate to the location
- seeding with native seeds and maintenance of lawns and herbaceous meadows in the area of the newly profiled banks, the flood troughs and the embankments in the landscape area
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
- Restore rivers and other fresh water bodies to reduce flood or drought risk
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
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
As the project executing organisation, responsibility for implementation and planning lies with the Berlin Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment in the Waterways Division (Ref. 1). The planning was done in cooperation with State Departments in Brandenburg (Ref. 5). A consulting firm for geotechnology designed the various implementation steps and measures and a landscape architecture company created a landscape maintenance plan and an environmental impact assessment before the implementation (Ref. 6). Citizens were informed about the different planning stages, status quo and development of the project during information days and participation workshops in several years (Ref. 7). An individual researcher does regular testing of the water quality and monitors the river's condition. (Ref. 2)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(In accordance with and on the basis of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), the aim of the development is to connect the Panke with the surrounding area in terms of water ecology and landscape planning. (Ref. 1))
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of expertise
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Expected lowered local temperature
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Expected increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Unknown
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
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Ecosystems and biodiversity, Habitat destruction, fragmentation, or alteration (e.g. use of monocultures)
References
1.
Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment (n.d.). Panke: Ausbau in Mitte und Pankow, Phase II. Accessed on September 16, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Schibilsky, M. (2023). Wie die Panke wieder lebendiger werden soll. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Schubert, T. (2023). Tausendfache Baumfällung für Fluss-Projekt – der neue Stand. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Schubert, T. (2021). Schutz vor Starkregen: So wird die Panke jetzt neu gestaltet. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment (n.d.). Maßnahmen: Panke. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Senate Department for Urban Development and the Environment (2013). Genehmigungsunterlagen. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Senate Department for Health, Environment and Consumer Protection (2009). Panke Beteiligungsprozess. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Die Linke (2012). Scheitert die Renaturierung der Panke?. Accessed on September 17, 2024, [Source link];
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Panke
https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/mobilitaet-und-verkehr/infrastruktur/wasserbau/ausbau-von-gewaessern/panke/#Renaturierung
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.