Emscher Landscape Park programme

Overview

Nature-based solution

Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Railroad bank and track greens
Blue infrastructure
Riverbank/Lakeside greens
Institutional green space
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests

Key challenges

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Climate change mitigation
Water management (SDG 6)
Improvements to water quality
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Conversion of former industrial areas
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Economic development: service sectors
Tourism support
Employment/job creation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Strategy, plan or policy development

Project objectives

Emscher Landschaftspark is a regional park system in the northern Ruhr area. It is a regional cooperation project between several post-industrial cities that want to create a coherent park system and regenerate natural environment in the area (Ref. 1). A crucial vision for the redevelopment is that the Emscher Landscape Park would act as a "green connector" between the settlements of the Rhur valley, following the path of the Emscher River and using the abandoned industrial areas along it as a unique form of green space (Ref. 6). "take measures regarding the urban, social, cultural and ecological development of the area, to face a situation that eventually any industrial area must face" (Ref. 12). 1. To create a convenient network of recreational facilities between Dortmund, Essen and Duisburg – also by bicycle or on foot (Ref. 2). 2. To make the post-industrial Ruhr area more attractive for tourists (Ref. 2) 3. To improve the quality of life in the Ruhr area (Ref. 4) 4. Improvement of climatic and environmental conditions in the Ruhr area (Ref. 5) 5. To create a greener identity for the area (Ref. 6) 6. To reduce unemployment (Ref. 6) Ref. 7: •Industrial heritage •Protection and development of open spaces •Regional business development •Regional tourism agency •Spatial oberservation

Implementation activities

1. The specific projects that created the park system ranged from the development of large fallow land areas to small scale construction schemes to installations of biotopes to the simple planting of trees (Ref. 6). 2. Transport routes from industrial times have been transformed into cycle and hiking paths (Ref. 8). 3. Non traditional park that is characterized by: •A regional network of parks, open space and paths •An unconventional, polycentric park for 5,2 million inhabitants •The green heart of Metropolis Ruhr •Open space for leisure and experience (Ref. 7). Most of the industrial land has been "forbidden land" for years. After the closure of industrial production and (partly) sanitation the areas which provide a high level of biodiversity were jointly promoted by the "Industry Nature Trail" for public use. The areas now serve as part of museums, parks areas for leisure and culture to the most attractive sites in the cityscape of Metropolis Ruhr" (Ref. 7).

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

Create or improve outdoor spaces to help people escape from urban heat

Climate change mitigation:

Invest in public transport/bicycle infrastructure as a means to prevent car use

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

Biodiversity restoration:

Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems

Main beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality
Private sector/Corporate/Company
Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

National government
Regional government
Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

Dissemination of information and education

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

"he concept, in which 20 cities and two districts are involved, comprises a total of 178 completed projects and 248 current or future individual projects. The more recent development of the Emscher Landscape Park is documented in the master planELP 2010, which was developed by the 20 participating cities and regional institutions from 2002 to 2005. It defines the area of the park, compiles an overview of the projects and names the main themes of development (New Emschertal, location, ecology, infrastructure, culture, urban agriculture and forestry, development and vegetation management). The concept was awarded the National Prize for Integrated Urban Development and Building Culture by the Federal Ministry of Transport in 2009" (Ref. 1). "The 2010 Emscher Landscape Park master plan finally gave the park a planning foundation in 2005. The following year, the Ruhr Regional Association became the sponsor of the Emscher Landscape Park. A new, urban cultural landscape developed step by step" (Ref. 16).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown (The Emscher-Lippe Ecology Programme is combined with structural development aid from the European Community (action plan for the coal fields) (9). )

... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The recent development of the Emscher Landschaftspark is documented in the Masterplan ELP 2010, which was developed by the 20 participating cities and regional institutions during 2002-2005. It defines the area of the park, compiles an overview of the projects and identifies the main themes of development (New Emschertal, ecology, infrastructure, culture, urban agriculture and forestry, development and vegetation management) (Ref. 1). )

... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Source(s) of funding

Public national budget
Public regional budget
Public local authority budget
Corporate investment
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

Type of funding

Earmarked public budget
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Restoration of derelict areas

Economic impacts

Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)

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
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Protection of natural heritage
Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research

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. Wikipedia (2016). Emscher Landschaftspark. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
2. Route Industrie Kultur (2017). Heritage Trail. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
3. Metropole Ruhr (2017). Emscherland 2020: Partner konkretisieren Zusammenarbeit. Available at:Source link (Website not available in 2020).
4. Metropole Ruhr (2017). Beteilungen ung Eigenbetriebe. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
5. Metropole Ruhr (2017). Klimamessstation beim Regionalverband Ruhr zeichnet Klimadaten auf. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
6. Danish Architecture Centre (2017). EMSCHER PARK: FROM DERELICTION TO SCENIC LANDSCAPES. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
7. Bothmann, Frank (n.d.). Landscape Regeneration Metropolis Ruhr Strategic and operational approaches Regionalverband Ruhr Frank Bothmannm. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
8. Danish Architecture Centre (n.d.). The green heart of the Ruhr Metropolis. Available at: Source link (Website not available in 2020).
9. Lethmate, G. and Spiering, H. (n.d.). Emscher Landscape Park - a new regional park in the Ruhr area (Germany). Available at: http://81.47.175.201/PE_Sta_Perpetua/attachments/article/75/Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
10. Freie Refarate (n.d.). Planung und Entwicklung der heutigen Emscher Zone. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
11. Regionalverband Ruhr (n.d.). Emscher Landschaftspark - Das grüne Herz der Metropole Ruhr. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
12. Barba, Jose Juan, and Portillo, Andrea (2015). The Emscher Landscape Park. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
13. Metropole Ruhr (n.d.). Emscher Landscape Park Visitor's Guide Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
14. Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation (n.d.). Emscher Landscape Park. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
15. Emscher Kunst (2016). Emscher Landschaftspark. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).
16. Metropole Ruhr (2020). Emscher Landscape Park The central park of the Ruhr Metropolis. Available at: Source link (Accessed: November 8, 2020).