1. General information Location and description of the intervention City or FUA Berlin (FUA) Region Europe Native title of the NBS intervention Anita-Berber-Park Short description of the intervention The new 6.5-hectare Anita Berber Park has been created on the site of the former St Thomas cemetery, between Tempelhofer Feld and Hermannstraße. It is named after the dancer Anita Berber, who herself was buried there in 1928. The cemetery was unused and out of use for several years and became accessible to the public through the intervention. (Ref. 3; Ref. 6) The construction period was preceded by a public participation process in which the facilities and design were developed together with the users. The redesign of the space was conducted by a landscape architecture office (Henningsen Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB) and financed by the German Federal Government (Ref. 1). The new park, which was planned and financed as a compensatory measure for the construction of the A100 urban highway, increases the quality of local recreation in the densely populated district of Neukölln. (Ref. 2; Ref. 6) An important goal was to achieve high species diversity in the park while preserving its valuable trees and shrubs. The park also offers multiple spots for rest and play as well as a zone for free running dogs. (Ref. 2; Ref. 6) The park features wooden climbing structures and an old collection of trees with hollows, along with bushes and shrubs. These areas often accumulate rubbish, highlighting the ongoing waste management issues the park has faced since its renovation (Ref. 4). Website of the intervention https://www.anita-berber-park.de/ Principal problems Environmental Degradation Biodiversity loss Land use and Socio-economic change Unequal availability and access to public green spaces Health, Well-being and Social cohesion Inadequate access to recreational opportunities Implementation area characterization Climate Continental (Cold-summer humid continental, Cold-winter dry continental, Cold-summer dry continental) Ecosystem Urban or built environment Address Hermannstraße 79-83 12049 Berlin Germany Location The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by). Area boundary (map-based) NBS area image Source of NBS area image Henningsen Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB; landscape architecture office https://www.henningsen-berlin.de/projekte/zeitgenoessische-freiraumplanung/anita-berber-park/ NBS area 65000.00m² Area description Urban (main city) Type of area before implementation of the NBS Other Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS Unused Cemetery (1) Timeline of intervention Start date of the intervention (planning process) 2015 Start date of intervention (implementation process) 2017 End date of the intervention 2018 Present stage of the intervention Completed 2. Objectives of the intervention Objectives of the intervention Goals of the intervention 1. To create biodiverse habitats in the park and preserve existing flora and fauna (Ref. 2; Ref. 6; Ref. 8) 2. To increase the quality of recreational opportunities in densely populated urban environments (Ref. 6) 3. To increase accessibility of public green spaces, with particular focus on families, elderly, disabled people and low-income households (Ref. 3; Ref. 9). 4. To transform an unused cemetery to a park area (1) Key Priorities Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration) Social Justice and community Sustainability challenge(s) addressed Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15) Green space creation and/or management Habitat and biodiversity conservation Regeneration, land-use and urban development Regulation of built environment Health and well-being (SDG 3) Creation of opportunities for recreation Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10) Social justice and equity Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention? Species-focused Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets? Protect and enhance urban habitats Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems Create new habitats Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem Means for conservation governance Manage biological resources for conservation and sustainable use What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention? No information provided regarding the goals of the intervention. Implementation activities and NBS focus Implementation activities The participatory design process started in 2015, included community actors and a firm specialised in community engagement, which conducted three site visits and a workshop, to reimagine the use of the cemetery/space. In 2016, the district held a naming competition for the cemetery-turned-park, and it was rechristened as the ‘Anita-Berber-Park’, after a cabaret artist (Ref. 1) The Protestant Church Association Berlin-Mitte sold the cemetery area to the German federal government in 2016 (Ref. 10) and the project was handed over to a landscape architecture office (Ref. 1). In 2017, the park construction commenced alongside the removal of graves, and the park was opened later that same year. Conservation efforts for the existing trees and shrubs were also initiated (Ref. 6; Ref. 8; Ref. 10) The meadows were partially reseeded and are continually developed through a mowing scheme tailored to the needs of each area (Ref. 2). Additional infrastructure was implemented (e.g. ramps) to increase the physical accessibility to the park from the surrounding streets in 2024 (Ref. 9). Playgrounds were constructed for children and rest areas for all visitors (elderly people) (Ref. 3). A ramp allows access to the park for people with limited mobility, and street accessibility was increased recently in the surrounding streets to allow access to the park (Ref. 3; Ref. 9). Type of NBS project Creation of new green areas Creation of any other green urban spaces Maintenance and management of urban nature Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks) Protection of natural ecosystems Habitat conservation Transformation of previously derelict areas Transformation of vacant land into green spaces 3. NBS domains, ES and scale NBS domain and interventions Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented Parks and urban forests Large urban parks or forests Amenities offered by the NBS Benches and drinking water stations Playgrounds Design elements for well-being Tactile elements (e.g., natural materials like wood or stone, exposure to sunlight) Services Expected ecosystem services delivered Habitat and supporting services Habitats for species Cultural services Recreation Scale Spatial scale Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level Beneficiaries Demographics in implementation area The project is implemented in Berlin-Neukölln, where approx. 330,000 residents live. Around 153,000 residents have a diverse ethnic background. (Ref. 11; Ref. 12) As of July 2024, around 26,000 people in Neukölln are unemployed (Ref. 13). Socio-economic profile of the area Unknown Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts Unknown Non-government actors Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital) Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches Private sector/Corporate/Business Citizens or community groups Primary Beneficiaries Citizens or community groups Young people and children Marginalized groups Specify primary beneficiaries "Families, elderly and disabled people, socially disadvantaged neighbourhood" (Ref. 3) were identified as vulnerable and marginalized groups that benefit from the project. Marginalized groups Children, young people or youth groups Elderly people People with functional diversities Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed) Measures for inclusion of marginalised groups Playgrounds were constructed for children and rest areas for all visitors (elderly people) (Ref. 3). A ramp allows access to the park for people with limited mobility, and street accessibility was increased recently in the surrounding streets to allow access to the park (Ref. 3; Ref. 9). Specify measures taken for vulnerable or marginalized communities Targeted outreach and engagement efforts with vulnerable or marginalized communities to understand concerns or identify risks Other beneficiaries Local wildlife (e.g., birds, pollinators) 4. Governance and financing Governance Governance arrangements Co-governance with government and non-government actors Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative The federal German government bought the cemetery area from the church association and gifted it to the city of Berlin (Ref. 10). The regional government, the state authorities of Berlin, financed the planning process and were the official developers of the project. The local government of the district and district manager organised the planning and implementation process and financed the amenities in the park. (Ref. 1; Ref. 8) Citizens, church representatives and the local police were invited to a participatory planning workshop that was conducted by a firm, specialised in community engagement. The planning and physical construction of the project was managed by a landscape architecture company (Ref. 1) Key actors - initiating organization National government Local government/municipality Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors) Regional government Public sector institution Citizens or community group Private sector/corporate actor/company Other Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved Church (1) Stages of citizen and community engagement Planning and design (e.g. site selection, identification of key priorities) Level of citizen and community engagement Limited Community empowerment or capacity-building initiatives Unknwon Participatory methods/forms of stakeholder involvement (all stakeholders) Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping) Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls) Uncommon actors ("Missing actors") Community & Social Groups Churches and other religious organisations or faith communities Public Services Ministry of Defence / military and law enforcement authorities Please specify other missing actor Local police officers (1) Land owners Public space owned by the city Policy drivers NBS intervention implemented in response to a Regional Directive/Strategy Unknown NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan Yes Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan The "Ordinance on the prevention and compensation of interventions in nature and landscape in the area of responsibility of the Federal Administration" (Federal Compensation Ordinance) (Ref. 14), requires the German state to avoid interference with nature or landscapes and to compensate it if, due to public infrastructure projects (e.g. building highways, power lines, offshore wind parks), nature and landscapes get destroyed. The ordinance serves to standardise the application of the impact regulation (following the Federal Nature Conservation Act) for federal projects, while at the same time maintaining high nature conservation standards. Implementing the Anita-Berber park was financially supported by such compensation for destroyed green space in an infrastructure project (the construction of the urban highway A100). The Federal Government bought the deconsecrated cemetery and then gifted it to the city, as green space was paved over for the A100 highway construction, around 3km away from the location of the Anita Berber park (Ref. 1). If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme/type of the plan National Biodiversity Strategy or Action Plan Please specify other national policy instrument The ordinance is part of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (Ref. 14). NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan Unknown Mandatory or voluntary intervention Mandatory (based on policy) Intervention is mandatory Environmental regulation Please specify other type of mandatory intervention Ordinance on the prevention and compensation of interventions in nature and landscape in the area of responsibility of the Federal Administration (Federal Compensation Ordinance) (Ref. 14) Enablers & Barriers Type of enablers Unknown Governace and decison-making instruments Legislative and regulatory instruments (e.g. laws, strategies, regulations or restrictions) Arrangements for governance cooperation Unknown Barriers The citizens and different groups engaged in the design and planning process voiced different interests, whereby the wishes of the local police were not considered and dog owners were worried about too many restrictions regarding space use for their dogs (Ref. 1). During the construction of the park, several graves were damaged, with urnes being destroyed and ashes/mortal remains laying open in the park, leading to public dissatisfaction (Ref. 10). Financing Total cost €2,000,000 - €4,000,000 Please specify total cost (EUR) 2,000,000€ were provided for buying the estate (Ref. 8) The construction sum totalled 354,000€ (Ref. 6) 65,000€ were spent on park amenities (e.g. playgrounds, benches) (Ref. 8) What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements? 354,000€ Source(s) of funding Public local authority budget Public national budget Public regional budget Type of fund(s) used Earmarked public budget Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities) Non-financial contribution Yes Who provided the non-financial contribution? Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services) Type of non-financial contribution Provision of land Co-finance for NBS No Entrepreneurship opportunities Unknown Business models Business models Vacant space model Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model? Public actor (e.g. municipality) 5. Evaluation and learning Impacts, benefits Environmental impacts Green space and habitat Increased green space area Achieved increased green space area Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems Achieved increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems Reduced biodiversity loss Expected reduced biodiversity loss Restoration of derelict areas Achieved restoration of derelict areas Description of environmental benefits Increased green space area: "Originally a cemetery, Anita-Berber-Park covers 6,5 ha between the former airfield Tempelhofer Feld and the street Hermannstrasse with its heavy traffic. The cemetery had been closed for several years and not in use officially. With the creation of the park, the area became accessible for everybody." (Ref. 2) Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems: "As such, an important goal was to achieve high species diversity on the park’s meadows while preserving its valuable trees and shrubs." (Ref. 2); "This park is intended to be a recreational space for people and a habitat for plants and animals." (Ref. 8) Reduced biodiversity loss: "One of the main aims of the redesign is to create species-rich meadows, taking into account the valuable woodland." (Ref. 6) Restoration of derelict areas: "Originally a cemetery, Anita-Berber-Park covers 6,5ha [...]. The cemetery had been closed for several years and not in use officially." (Ref. 2) Environmental impact indicators Green space area created (in ha) 6.5 Economic impacts Unknown Description of economic benefits Unknown Social and cultural impacts Social justice and cohesion Improved access to urban green space Achieved improved access to urban green space Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples Achieved increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples Health and wellbeing Gain in activities for recreation and exercise Expected gain in activities for recreation and exercise Social and cultural impact indicators Surface area of accessible green spaces (in ha) 6.5 Total area of recreational green space created or restored (in ha) 6.5 Description of social and cultural benefits Improved access to urban green space: "With the creation of the park, the area became accessible for everybody." (Ref. 2) Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples: "The barrier-free connection between Anita-Berber-Park and the Schiller neighbourhood is now complete. A convenient and barrier-free connection to the park has been created by redesigning the cul-de-sac from Leinestraße to Anita-Berber-Park, as well as creating pavement extensions and lowering the kerb." (Ref. 9) Gain in activities for recreation and exercise: "The space is an important recreational area within the densely populated district of Neukölln." (Ref. 2); "This park is intended to be a recreational space for people and a habitat for plants and animals." (Ref. 8) Evidence for use of assessment Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process 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 Name of any specific impact assessment tools Unknown Use of GIS in mapping impacts No evidence in public records Cost-benefit analysis Unknown Transparency Meetings with stakeholders’ representatives Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in project governance processes (e.g. planning, implementation, monitoring, etc.) Justice Community satisfaction Unknown Description of locals satisfaction with the project Unknown Trade-offs & Negative impacts Offsetting Biodiversity offsetting * Emphasis of existing social inequalities or injustices No information reported related to negative social justice-related impacts of the NBS project Measures to prevent gentrification or displacement Unknown High-quality & Transformative NBS Multiple impacts delivery (climate, biodiversity, just community) No Goal setting and impacts delivery No, project goals were not set, and benefits were not delivered in all 3 key areas. Reaching original project goals Most of the project goals were achieved Please specify the achievements of the project goals Biodiversity: Increased green space area: "Originally a cemetery, Anita-Berber-Park covers 6,5 ha between the former airfield Tempelhofer Feld and the street Hermannstrasse with its heavy traffic. The cemetery had been closed for several years and not in use officially. With the creation of the park, the area became accessible for everybody." (Ref. 2) Social justice and community: Improved access to urban green space: "With the creation of the park, the area became accessible for everybody." (Ref. 2) Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples: "The barrier-free connection between Anita-Berber-Park and the Schiller neighbourhood is now complete. A convenient and barrier-free connection to the park has been created by redesigning the cul-de-sac from Leinestraße to Anita-Berber-Park, as well as creating pavement extensions and lowering the kerb." (Ref. 9) Gain in activities for recreation and exercise: "The space is an important recreational area within the densely populated district of Neukölln." (Ref. 2); "This park is intended to be a recreational space for people and a habitat for plants and animals." (Ref. 8) Long-term perspective Unknown: No information about the project's long-term sustainability. Cost-effective solutions Unknown Equitable impacts C. Unknown Transformative capacity Ecological change (e.g. ecosystem functions and their distribution) Magnitude of change Incremental: shallow; that is, mostly maintaining business-as-usual approaches to adaptation Application of lessons learned Unknown Perception of Environmental Change Unknown 6. Sources References 1. Holleran, S. (2023). From graves to gardens: Berlin’s changing cemeteries. p. 255-257 Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 2. International Federation of Landscape Architects Europe (n.d.). “Anita Berber Park” Berlin, Germany - Landscape Architect’s projects which improve the access to and use of green space for disadvantaged groups. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 3. International Federation of Landscape Architects Europe (n.d.). Anita-Berber-Park . Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 4. Naturstadt Berlin (n.d.). Anita-Berber-Park. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 5. Anita-Berber-Park (n.d.). Anita-Berber-Park in Berlin Neukölln. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 6. Henningsen Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB (n.d.). Anita-Berber-Park. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 7. Treffler, J. (2024). Barrierefreiheit: So wurde der Anita-Berber-Park umgestaltet. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 8. Schilp, S. (2017). Ein neuer Park für den Schillerkiez: Namensgeberin ist Anita Berber / Großes Freilaufgebiet für Hunde. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 9. Bezirk Neukölln (2024). Barrierefreie Anbindung zum Anita-Berber-Park fertiggestellt. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 10. Kräge, S. & Wilms, M. (2017). Hier wird die Würde der Toten weggebaggert. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 11. Bezirksamt Neukölln (n.d.). Einwohnerregisterstatistik. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 12. Bezirksamt Neukölln (n.d.). Die Bevölkerungsstruktur Neuköllns. Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 13. Bezirk Neukölln (n.d.). Arbeitsmarktreport für Berlin-Süd (Neukölln). Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; 14. Federal Ministry of Justice & Federal Office of Justice (2020). Verordnung über die Vermeidung und die Kompensation von Eingriffen in Natur und Landschaft im Zuständigkeitsbereich der Bundesverwaltung (Bundeskompensationsverordnung - BKompV). Accessed on August 9, 2024, [Source link] [Archive]; Comments and notes Comments Regarding the impacts, I could not find statements that indicate a direct impact but only an anticipated impact through the statement of aims/goals. Additional insights The cemetery was used by unhoused people and drug users but it is not indicated whether these groups are still present in the park. (Ref. 1) Public Images Image Anita Berber park from above Henningsen Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB Image Path in the Anita Berber park Henningsen Landschaftsarchitekten PartG mbB
