Last updated: April 2022
On the territory of the former train station Vohwinkel (including the train tracks) a brownfield site of 15 ha was turned into a commercial urban area which was created as an economic driver for Wuppertal. However, the site was inhabited by the highly endangered sand lizard, which is why a species conservation island was created as the commercial park was being built. As a habitat of the endangered sand lizard species, the conservation area in the South-West of the commercial park remained free from construction development, and an adequate conservation concept was elaborated and implemented. The nature conservation area is maintained by the environmental protection department of the city. (Ref. 1 and 6). The project succeeded in its goal of creating a commercial area on the former Vohwinkel marshalling yard while simultaneously paying attention to the protection of the endangered sand lizard. (Ref. 2) Additionally to the conservation area within and around the commercial zone, lizards have also been relocated beyond the city limits as a biodiversity offsetting measure. (Ref. 8) Furthermore, the dried out Krutscheider stream, forming part of an important biotope system with its gravel surfaces, was dug out again to serve as a green corridor for compensation against the habitat loss. (Ref. 1, 4 and 6)
New habitat for lizards
Reference 2: https://www.wuppertal.de/rathaus-buergerservice/umweltschutz/nachhaltigkeit/Gewerbegebiet_VohRang.php
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Lakes/ponds
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental and climate justice
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: service sectors
- Real estate development
Focus
Transformation of previously derelict areas, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Other
Project objectives
Preserving the endangered species of lizard and its natural habitat on the former brownfield site (Ref. 1 and 3)
Since the planned commercial space reduces the habitat of the sand lizard, in addition to conservation measures, the goal is to expand their habitat to the East through a green corridor which includes the re-creation of the former Krutscheider stream and area of the train tracks (Ref. 6)
Regulate built environment: as an economic hub of the region, Wuppertal needs to build high-quality commercial space for companies with the goal of creating jobs and building the city’s economy. The aim is to balance out construction work and economic development with species protection. (Ref. 2)
Implementation activities
Because according to the regional nature law of North Rhine-Westphalia, the lizard type which found perfect habitat conditions on the former brownfield is an especially endangered species, a special conservation programme was developed by the city of Wuppertal in collaboration with a commissioned nature agency. (Ref. 2) The focus of the programme was to re-create the ideal habitat of the sand lizard in specific areas within and adjacent to the newly established commercial zone. The areas under development were searched for animals in order to collect them and relocate them in the specially designated species protection area. (Reference 8) The favoured habitat that was implemented includes hiding and sunny places through piling up deadwood and stones, the provision of suitable substrate for their eggs in heaps of sand in South-West direction and the creation of temporary ponds on impervious soils. Furthermore, the dried out Krutscheider stream, forming part of an important biotope system with its gravel surfaces, was dug out again to serve as a green corridor for compensation against the habitat loss. (Ref. 1, 4 and 6). The conservation programme also includes maintenance measures such as removing top soil, mowing of tall forbs, and cutting back encroaching shrubs. (Ref. 6) Because the sand lizard doesn’t like shade at all, some trees had to be cut out. (Ref. 7)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas
- Create new habitats
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
- Undertake specific measures to protect valued species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
- Take measures for ex situ conservation
- Means for conservation governance
- Biodiversity offsets
- Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore valued species
- Restore endangered species
- Clear and control invasive alien species
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Other
- Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
- Other
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
There were five parties involved in the project: the regional government, the city of Wuppertal, the municipal utilities (mentioned below as public sector institution), the private planning bureau Weluga and the bureau Ökoplan which had conducted the assessment of the area and developed guidelines with options for structural natural elements for species preservation. These parties frequently met to the coordinate the planning and to discuss the compensation and maintenance measures (Ref. 4). The special conservation programme was developed by the city of Wuppertal in collaboration with a commissioned nature agency. (Ref. 2) The nature conservation area is maintained by the city department for environmental protection. (Ref. 1 and 6).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(There is a FFH Directive (Fauna-Flora-Habitat). Its goal is the protect and preserve wild species, their habitats and the europeanwide connections between these habitats (Ref. 5).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The lizard type is on the list of endangered species in Germany, therefore the preservation of its habitat is mandated by national and regional law according to the "Bundesnaturgesetz". It is stated that the schedule for the constrution and its planning had to be changed based on that (Ref. 1 and 5).)
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- 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
- Green space and habitat
- Increase in protected green space areas
- Increased number of protection areas
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Increased protection of threatened species
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
- Enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Increased appreciation for natural spaces
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Rapp, L. (2017) ‘Gewerbegebiet VohRang expandiert’, February. Available at: Source link 09 Sept. 2020]
2. Stadt Wuppertal (2017) Nachhaltige Gewerbeentwicklung schont Natur und Landschaft, Source link. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020]
3. Stadt Wuppertal and Kordges, T. (2006) Anlage zur Begründung des Bebauungsplanes Nr. 1081 - Mittelstandspark VohRang - Artenhilfsprogramm Zauneidechse im Bereich Wuppertal-Vohwinkel ( VohRang ). Essen. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020].
4. Landesamt für Natur / Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz (2014) Geschützte Arten in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758). Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020]
5. Natura 2000 (no date) Fauna-Flora-Habitat-Richtlinie. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020]
6. Stadt Wuppertal. Ressort Bauen und Wohnen (2009) Bebauungsplan Nr. 1081 – Mittelstandspark VohRang. Umweltbericht Fassung März 2009. [Weblink unavailable in 2020]
7. Westdeutsche Zeitung. (2014). Bäume weichen für die Zauneidechse. [online]. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 10 Sept. 2020]
8. Westdeutsche Zeitung. (2011). Der Siegeszug der Zauneidechse. [online]. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 10 Sept. 2020].
2. Stadt Wuppertal (2017) Nachhaltige Gewerbeentwicklung schont Natur und Landschaft, Source link. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020]
3. Stadt Wuppertal and Kordges, T. (2006) Anlage zur Begründung des Bebauungsplanes Nr. 1081 - Mittelstandspark VohRang - Artenhilfsprogramm Zauneidechse im Bereich Wuppertal-Vohwinkel ( VohRang ). Essen. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020].
4. Landesamt für Natur / Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz (2014) Geschützte Arten in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Zauneidechse (Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758). Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020]
5. Natura 2000 (no date) Fauna-Flora-Habitat-Richtlinie. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 09 Sept. 2020]
6. Stadt Wuppertal. Ressort Bauen und Wohnen (2009) Bebauungsplan Nr. 1081 – Mittelstandspark VohRang. Umweltbericht Fassung März 2009. [Weblink unavailable in 2020]
7. Westdeutsche Zeitung. (2014). Bäume weichen für die Zauneidechse. [online]. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 10 Sept. 2020]
8. Westdeutsche Zeitung. (2011). Der Siegeszug der Zauneidechse. [online]. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 10 Sept. 2020].
The Krutscheider stream surfaces again
Reference 2: https://www.wuppertal.de/rathaus-buergerservice/umweltschutz/nachhaltigkeit/Gewerbegebiet_VohRang.php