Last updated: October 2021
Due to the changing burial culture and the declining burial rates, Hamburg decided to establish a long-term development strategy called Ohlsdorf 2050 for the Ohlsdorf cemetery. The aim of the project is to preserve and develop the cemetery as a cultural landmark and a garden monument. The municipality aims to limit the burial services to a 120-hectare large area and develop a cemetery park in the remaining 280-hectare area. The strategy is being developed together with the locals, relatives of interred and experts. The participant's ideas included among others places for outdoor sports, allotment gardens and planting indigenous species. In any case, the entire cemetery will be preserved and maintained according to principles of garden heritage conservation and nature protection. Places for interaction, meditation, reflection and recreation will play a dominant role. (Reference 1, 2). In September 2020, the result of the consultations and the strategy itself is still unknown.
Ohlsdorf cemetery rose garden
https://www.germany.travel/media/content/specials_1/spirituelles_reisen/tradtionundbrauchtum/mythologiemagischeorte/ohlsdorferfriedhof/header_text1_Rosengarten_Ohlsdorf.jpg
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Improving mental health
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
- Preservation of historic traditions
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature
Project objectives
- working out, with the involvement of locals, a comprehensive long-term development strategy for the Ohlsdorf Cemetery.
- finding new form of use for the cemetery that supports the outdoor recreation of the locals and is based on social consensus
- preserving and developing the cemetery as a cultural landmark, a garden monument, and the world largest park cemetery with the size of 400 hectares
- balancing cultural heritage protection, nature development, funeral services and economic aspects
- nature protection measures as well as artistic and cultural projects (Reference 1)
Implementation activities
The ideas of the citizens have been collected online and via mail and planning workshops were organized. The planning workshops are called “neighbourhood cafés”, where citizens have an opportunity to be informed directly by the maintainers of the cemetery about the plans, ask questions and offer their own ideas. (Reference 6) The citizens' ideas included the implementation of a farm for children, nature reserve, places for outdoor sports, allotment gardens and community gardens, a web-based information system about the plants in the cemetery, planting indigenous plants and so on (Reference 2) Which ideas will be implemented is unknown. (in September 2020).
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)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The overall project of the Ohlsdorf 2050 sustainability strategy is local government-led and funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety as part of the “National Urban Development Projects” program. (Reference 7)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(In 2011, Hamburg was chosen to be the Green Capital of the EU (Reference 1). This programme, which is in line with the 7th Environmental Action Program of the EU aims to promote and award commitment and innovation to resolve environmental challenges in cities (Reference 3). The redevelopment of the Ohlsdorf cemetery is in line with the green strategy that the Green Capital Award projected and it is mentioned in the selective report of the city ("Hamburg: European Green Capital: Five years on") being published in 2016 (Reference 1).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project is in line with the city's urban development strategy (Hamburg 2030) being published in 2014 that aims for a green, inclusive and growing city (Reference 4).)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
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
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Other
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Promotion of cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
Type of reported impacts
Expected 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. Ministry of Environment and Energy. (2016). Hamburg – European Green Capital: 5 Years On: The city takes further. Hamburg: Ministry of Environment and Energy. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
2. Hamburger Friedhöfe AöR, Ministry of Environment and Energy. (2016). Ohlsdorf 2050: Hamburg-Ohlsdorf Stästebauliche Entwicklungs- und Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie für den grössten Parkfriedhof der Welt. Dokumentation des Beteiligungsprozesses. Hamburg: Hamburger Friedhöfe AöR, Ministry of Environment and Energy. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
3. The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment. (2014). Hamburg 2030, Green, inclusive, growing city by the water: Perspectives on Urban development in Hamburg. Hamburg: The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
4. Source link. (2017). European Green Capital. [online] Available at: Source link 07 Sept. 2020]
5. Source link. (2017). Förderung von Investitionen in nationale Projekte des Städtebaus 2014. [online] Available at: Source link 07 Sept. 2020]
6. Hamburg. (2018) Ohlsdorf 2050 Nachbarschaftscafés September 2018 Kurzdokumentation. Hamburg: AöR.
7. Behörde für Umwelt, Klima, Energie und Agrarwirtschaft. (nd.) Das Projekt: Alles über Ohlsdorf 2050. [online]. Available at: Source link [Accessed. 07 Sept. 2020]
2. Hamburger Friedhöfe AöR, Ministry of Environment and Energy. (2016). Ohlsdorf 2050: Hamburg-Ohlsdorf Stästebauliche Entwicklungs- und Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie für den grössten Parkfriedhof der Welt. Dokumentation des Beteiligungsprozesses. Hamburg: Hamburger Friedhöfe AöR, Ministry of Environment and Energy. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
3. The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment. (2014). Hamburg 2030, Green, inclusive, growing city by the water: Perspectives on Urban development in Hamburg. Hamburg: The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
4. Source link. (2017). European Green Capital. [online] Available at: Source link 07 Sept. 2020]
5. Source link. (2017). Förderung von Investitionen in nationale Projekte des Städtebaus 2014. [online] Available at: Source link 07 Sept. 2020]
6. Hamburg. (2018) Ohlsdorf 2050 Nachbarschaftscafés September 2018 Kurzdokumentation. Hamburg: AöR.
7. Behörde für Umwelt, Klima, Energie und Agrarwirtschaft. (nd.) Das Projekt: Alles über Ohlsdorf 2050. [online]. Available at: Source link [Accessed. 07 Sept. 2020]
Map of Ohlsdorf cemetery park
Reference 2: https://geoportal-hamburg.de/beteiligung_ohlsdorf/sites/default/files/public/downloads/OHL_Dokumentation_Beteiligung.pdf