Last updated: November 2021
Most of the open spaces around Munich are designated as green belt areas and are being used mostly for agricultural purposes. As a lead project of its green strategy, the city now aims to protect these areas and to upgrade their quality by cooperating with local farmers and promoting a shift to extensive and ecological farming, developing habitats, corridors as well as a network of cycle tracks and footpaths for recreation (Reference 3, 4). The city supports the farmers with advisory services, but also with the organization of the implementation of the ecological projects. The farmers are motivated to join by being able to use labels such as "Potatoes from the Greenbelt of Munich" on their products. (Reference 3) The initiative also includes herb gardens, provided by farmers and rented by citizens. (Reference 1) A further project included in the initiative is the "Münchner Ökokonto, a biodiversity offsetting principle by which the former low moor complex of the West of Munich is being renaturalized on 28 areas with a total area of 67 ha. (Reference 5)
A typical scene along the Munich Green Belt
Landeshauptstadt München, retrieved 08/10/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Horticulture
- Other
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, Protection of natural ecosystems, Transformation of previously derelict areas
Project objectives
- convincing farmers to shift agriculture to a sustainable, ecological model based on extensive farming (Reference 4);
- reaching the highest possible level of equal coexistence of agriculture, recreation and nature conservation;
- To promote a nature-friendly management method by keeping pastures, which through extensive use of grassland makes a particularly valuable contribution to the protection of groundwater and soil, for the habitats of animals and plants and for recreation in the Munich green belt. (Reference 3)
- protecting and restoring habitats within the biodiversity offsetting plan (Münchner Ökokonto);
- creating urban biotope areas;
- creating a network of cycle tracks and footpaths for recreation (Reference 1, 2).
Implementation activities
- In spring 1998, the Urban Planning and Building Regulations Department commissioned a team of an agricultural engineer and two landscape planners to inform the farmers about the goals for the green belt, to advise them on the basis of individual farm calculations and to develop the first implementation projects together with the farmers. (Reference 4)
- potato fields: promoting and environmentally conscious way of cultivating potatoes by means of marketing (only farmers that cultivate in an environmentally friendly way can use the label "Kartoffeln aus dem Münchner Grüngürtel")
- pasture project: promoting the conservation of pasture land with a sustainable cultivation method, and thus contributing to the protection of groundwater and soil, the habitats of animals and plants in the green belt area similarly by means of marketing
- herb fields: promoting the cultivation of herbs as a soft and environmentally friendly way of using the green belt. The herb gardens are mostly rented by citizens from farmers taking part in the project. (Reference 1)
- measures for the protection of species and biotopes (like removal of non-indigenous species, renaturation of a stream, large grassland extensions (Reference 3)
- Supporting the farmers with advisory services, but also with the organization of the implementation projects with the aim of establishing a regional quality market in the Munich metropolitan area. (Reference 1)
- Opening the Münchner Ökokonto offsetting project, by which 28 areas on the greenbelt with a total area of 67 ha are renaturalized, offsetting urban construction projects. (Reference 5)
- 170 km of bicycle lanes were built (Reference 4)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Means for conservation governance
- Biodiversity offsets
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Public sector institution
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was initiated by the municipality of Munich. the In the spring of 1998, the Urban Planning and Building Regulations Department commissioned a team of an agricultural engineer and two landscape planners to inform the farmers about the goals for the green belt, to advise them on the basis of individual farm calculations, and to develop the first implementation projects together with the farmers. (Reference 4)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Federal Nature Conservation Act (Bundesnaturschutzgesetz) stipulates that the natural balance and landscape should be affected as little as possible by construction measures. If impairments cannot be avoided, areas must be made available for compensation. (Reference 1))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The intervention is a lead project of the city's strategy for sustainable urban development, Munich: Future Perspective - Compact, Urban, Green (Reference 2).)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Other
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. Source link (2017). Münchner Grüngürtel. [online] Available at: Source link 02 Aug. 2020]
2. S. Pauleit, S. and Oppermann, B. (2002). Case study Munich - Draft 1: Greenstructure in a booming city region: assessment of the resource, its main challenges and the planning response - the case of Munich. Source link. [online] Available at: Source link 02 Aug. 2020].
3. Source link. (2017). Projekte im Münchner Grüngürte. [online] Available at: Source link 02 Aug. 2020].
4. Landeshauptstadt München, Referat für Stadtplanung und Bauordnung. (2005). Grünplanung in München. [brochure] München: Referat für Stadtplanung und Bauordnung. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 03 Aug. 2020]
5. Source link (nd.) Biotopentwicklungsflächen. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 03 Aug. 2020]
2. S. Pauleit, S. and Oppermann, B. (2002). Case study Munich - Draft 1: Greenstructure in a booming city region: assessment of the resource, its main challenges and the planning response - the case of Munich. Source link. [online] Available at: Source link 02 Aug. 2020].
3. Source link. (2017). Projekte im Münchner Grüngürte. [online] Available at: Source link 02 Aug. 2020].
4. Landeshauptstadt München, Referat für Stadtplanung und Bauordnung. (2005). Grünplanung in München. [brochure] München: Referat für Stadtplanung und Bauordnung. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 03 Aug. 2020]
5. Source link (nd.) Biotopentwicklungsflächen. [online] Available at: Source link [Accessed: 03 Aug. 2020]
A typical scene along the Munich Green Belt
Landeshauptstadt München, retrieved 08/10/2018