Building a network of connected green infrastructure in Dortmund, Germany

Key Learnings

• Connecting green spaces: By planting regional grasses and pollinator-friendly flowers next to exercise parks and recreation areas, green spaces become better connected. This approach increases biodiversity while enhancing the physical and mental well-being of local communities.
• Co-creation: Involving residents in urban gardening or seeding projects is a simple yet powerful way to raise awareness about urban regeneration. It fosters a sense of ownership, strengthens social ties within the neighbourhood, and helps build long-term community support for local biodiversity initiatives.
• Sustainable urban farming alternatives: Collective farming in an urban food forest – with fruit trees and vegetable gardens – and aquaponics systems that grow fish and vegetables together in a closed-loop greenhouse environment, offer two innovative and sustainable alternatives to traditional farming methods.

Summary

Revitalising the Huckarde district in Dortmund with nature-based solutions supports climate resilience, biodiversity, and community well-being. Key initiatives included a co-designed community food forest; aquaponics that produce vegetables ; pollinator-friendly biodiversity meadows; and improved accessibility to green spaces , such as a barrier-free path to the Deusenberg. The climate change adaptation measures strengthen local biodiversity, reduce urban heat, raise public awareness, and foster a stronger sense of community, particularly through community-based efforts. The project laid strong foundations for future urban regeneration, and the partners continue to build on these efforts, with potential for expanding aquaponics to schools, developing new green corridors, and connecting key sites through infrastructure improvements.

Contact

Organisation: City of Dortmund
E-Mail: proGIregstadtdo [dot] de (proGIreg[at]stadtdo[dot]de)
Invest4Nature project: Andreas Tuerk, Joanneum Research, andreas [dot] tuerkjoanneum [dot] at (andreas[dot]tuerk[at]joanneum[dot]at)