Last updated: October 2021
Oslo municipality is underway with the large-scale project of opening up rivers that previously were running in underground pipes. Alna Environmental Park is a part of this project and includes major transformation and environmental upgrade of the river Alna. The Environmental Park runs along the river and has transformed grey structures to accessible parks and recreation areas and now acts as an important resource for Oslo's citizens. Central aims of the project are to improve the self-cleaning ability of Alna, while maintaining biodiversity in the region and to inspire future urban development. (Ref. 1, 3)
Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocplayer.me%2F19839266-Kommunedelplan-for-alna-miljopark.html&psig=AOvVaw1_9fsNSLwpPHXH8NO0cCxu&ust=1603954425554000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCIDwqO3h1uwCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Blue infrastructure
- Riverbank/Lakeside greens
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Green corridors and green belts
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Focus
Maintenance and management of urban nature, Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
Project objectives
This NBS aims to achieve the following (Ref. 1):
Strengthen the blue-green structure of Oslo;
Secure biodiversity, habitats and good water quality in the region along the river;
Open storm water solutions for flood prevention with respect to climate change and heavy rains that are expected to come;
Recreation and well-being for the citizens;
Preserve cultural landscape and vegetation;
Act as a inspiration and a driving force for future urban development
Implementation activities
- Opening of several parts of the river as a means of flood prevention (Ref. 1,3)
- Reconstruction of certain parts of the river to increase water self-cleaning ability and facilitate purification of water seeping into the river from the surrounding road and industrial area (Ref. 1,3)
- Artificial wetland has also been laid out on Hølaløkka (an area along the Alna river) to contribute to self-cleaning (Ref. 7)
- Establishment of various recreational opportunities and parks along Alna (Ref. 1,3)
- Transformation of grey areas into green areas (Ref. 1,3)
- Restoration of natural areas of high value, which act as important habitat (Ref. 1,3)
- Restoring and making places with cultural heritage value more available (Ref. 1, 3)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Taskforce groups
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Local Government: Oslo municipality has been responsible for planning and developing the park. The project has also involved a task force of six political representatives from different parties (Ref. 1,12)
National Government: Norwegian Environment Agency co-leads initiative with municipality and compiles knowledge related to Alna restoration (Ref. 12)
NGO: "Alnaelvas venner" Friends of River Alna" have been involved in the development of the project too (Ref. 1, 2, 12).
Citizens: The Municipal Master Plan (KDP) was open for public scrutiny a little over 3 months in 2009. (Ref. 1, 12)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(EU Water Framework Directive (Ref. 1))
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The first White Paper on Climate Change Adaption (Ref. 5))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The Alna Report of Ideas (Alna Idérapport, 2002); Climate and Energy Strategy for Oslo; Municipal Sector Plan for the Alna Environmental Park (2013); Oslo Environment Urban Ecology Program (Oslomiljøet byøkologisk program); The Municipality Plan (2008); Strategic Greenstructure Plan for the Grorud Valley (Strategisk grønnstrukturplan for Groruddalen); Plan for Sports and Outdoor Life in Oslo 2009-12 (Plan for idrett og friluftsliv i Oslo 2009-12); Holistic Development Plan for the Grorud Valley (Helhetlig utviklingsplan for Groruddalen (HUG)); and The Municipal Plan for Meeting areas (Kommune delplane for torg og møteplasser) (Ref. 1))
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
- Public local authority budget
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
- Climate change
- Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Improved stormwater management
- Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
References
1. Oslo Municipality (2013). Municipal Sector Plan for the Alna Environmental Park. Kommunedelplan for Alna Miljøpark. KDP nr. 18. Planning & Building Agency (Plan- og Bygningsetaten). [Document provided].
2. The City of Oslo (2017). Water Quality in the Main Waterways. Vannkvalitet i Hovedvassdragene. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
3. Byplan Oslo (2009). Alna Environment Park: Bluegreen Belt from the fjord to Marka. Alna miljøpark: Blågrønt belte fra fjorden til Marka. [Not available in 2020].
4. Oslo Municipality (2009). Municipal Sector Plan for the Alna Environmental Park: Summary of Comments to the Start of the Planning Process. Kommunedelplan for Alna miljøpark: Sammendrag av bemerkninger ved oppstart av planarbeidet VEDLEGG 2 til planforslag. Planning & Building Agency (Plan- og bygningsetaten). [Document provided].
5. European Climate Adaption Platform (2017). Norway. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
6. The City of Oslo (2017). Quiet Urban areas. [Not available in 2020].
7. Museth, J., Hagen, D., Krange, O. & Bendiksen, E. (2008). People's knowledge and attitudes to Hølaløkka - a pilot project in the restoration of the Alna River, Oslo Source link kjennskap og holdninger til Hølaløkka - et pilotprosjekt i restaureringen av Alnaelva, Oslo kommune. NINA rapport 361. [Document provided].
8. Oslo Municipality (2007). Green Plan for Oslo: Municipal Sector Plan for the Bluegreen Structure in the Building Zone of Oslo. Grøntplan for Oslo: Kommunedelplan for den blågrønne strukturen i Oslos byggesone. Planning & Building Agency (Plan- og Bygningsetaten. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
9. European Landscape Convention (2016). Landscape Award of the Council of Europe. Application form, 5th session 2016-2017. [Document provided].
10. The Urban Development of Oslo & Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the City of Oslo. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
11. Nesheim, I. et al. (2020). Alna - knowledge compilation and feasibility study. Alna – kunnskapssammenstilling og mulighetsstudie. Norsk institutt for vannforskning og Miljødirektoratet. [Document provided].
12. Ministry of Climate and Environment. (2020). Starts new feasibility study of the Alna River. Starter ny mulighetsstudie av Alnaelva. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
2. The City of Oslo (2017). Water Quality in the Main Waterways. Vannkvalitet i Hovedvassdragene. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
3. Byplan Oslo (2009). Alna Environment Park: Bluegreen Belt from the fjord to Marka. Alna miljøpark: Blågrønt belte fra fjorden til Marka. [Not available in 2020].
4. Oslo Municipality (2009). Municipal Sector Plan for the Alna Environmental Park: Summary of Comments to the Start of the Planning Process. Kommunedelplan for Alna miljøpark: Sammendrag av bemerkninger ved oppstart av planarbeidet VEDLEGG 2 til planforslag. Planning & Building Agency (Plan- og bygningsetaten). [Document provided].
5. European Climate Adaption Platform (2017). Norway. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
6. The City of Oslo (2017). Quiet Urban areas. [Not available in 2020].
7. Museth, J., Hagen, D., Krange, O. & Bendiksen, E. (2008). People's knowledge and attitudes to Hølaløkka - a pilot project in the restoration of the Alna River, Oslo Source link kjennskap og holdninger til Hølaløkka - et pilotprosjekt i restaureringen av Alnaelva, Oslo kommune. NINA rapport 361. [Document provided].
8. Oslo Municipality (2007). Green Plan for Oslo: Municipal Sector Plan for the Bluegreen Structure in the Building Zone of Oslo. Grøntplan for Oslo: Kommunedelplan for den blågrønne strukturen i Oslos byggesone. Planning & Building Agency (Plan- og Bygningsetaten. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
9. European Landscape Convention (2016). Landscape Award of the Council of Europe. Application form, 5th session 2016-2017. [Document provided].
10. The Urban Development of Oslo & Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for the City of Oslo. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].
11. Nesheim, I. et al. (2020). Alna - knowledge compilation and feasibility study. Alna – kunnskapssammenstilling og mulighetsstudie. Norsk institutt for vannforskning og Miljødirektoratet. [Document provided].
12. Ministry of Climate and Environment. (2020). Starts new feasibility study of the Alna River. Starter ny mulighetsstudie av Alnaelva. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 27 October 2020].