Last updated: October 2021
In 2008, the wilderness experience garden and laboratory was founded on 2,500 sqm of nature area in Münster by Annika and Olaf Bader, two pedagogues. With grasslands, hedges, fruit trees, a treehouse, beehives, a yurt, a fireplace and many more elements it’s a place for nature experience and exploration for children and adults. Guests are encouraged to engage with nature scientifically, via play, arts or manually. Based on a hands-on approach, there are also vocational trainings for extracurricular education providers offered (ref. 1 and 3).
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Green playgrounds and school grounds
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Green space creation and/or management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Project objectives
-Providing opportunities for children and adults to experience nature in cities (Ref. 1 and 2)
-Improving well-being through nature experiences and quality time outside (Ref. 3)
-Creating a community feel through team activities outside (Ref. 2)
-Educating children about nature, its variety and value during play (Ref. 1 and 2)
-To emphasize the inseparable community and connection between man and nature. Together people can happily grow wild here - animals, plants and the elements are our teachers and companions (ref. 1)
Implementation activities
In addition to its value in constituting a varied wilderness area, the organizers offer different experience packages for children, school classes and adults alike. In these programs, children can explore nature and learn about its wildlife through play, art or manual activities while performing tasks in teams. Examples are exploring the world of bees and bee-keeping, working with material originating from nature or explore the habitats of grasshoppers and ladybirds.
Based on the idea that regular nature experience is also essential for adults for their well-being, there are also packages for adults which include educational training as well as tours and encounters in the wilderness for deceleration (Ref. 1 and 3).
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Means for conservation governance
- Raise public awareness
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Other
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Expected 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. Wildnis Werkstatt. (2016). Der WildnisWerkstatt-GARTEN - der Naturerlebnisgarten in Münster. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)
2. Wildnis Werkstatt. (2016). ‘gemeinsam glücklich verwildern’. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)
3. Wildnis Werkstatt. (2016). Wildnis Werkstatt - Gemeinsam glücklich verwildern. Available at: Source link (Accessed August 8 2020)
4. Stadt Münster and Umweltforum Münster e.V. (2016). Umweltpreis Münster (2016). Preisträger und Bewerber. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)
5. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltwildung Bundesverband e.V. (2017). ANU. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltwildung. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)
2. Wildnis Werkstatt. (2016). ‘gemeinsam glücklich verwildern’. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)
3. Wildnis Werkstatt. (2016). Wildnis Werkstatt - Gemeinsam glücklich verwildern. Available at: Source link (Accessed August 8 2020)
4. Stadt Münster and Umweltforum Münster e.V. (2016). Umweltpreis Münster (2016). Preisträger und Bewerber. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)
5. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltwildung Bundesverband e.V. (2017). ANU. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur- und Umweltwildung. Available at: Source link (Accessed 8 August 2020)