Natural Swimming Pool Brackwede

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Bielefeld

Region

Europe

Native title of the NBS intervention

Naturbad Brackwede

Short description of the intervention

The Brackwede open-air pools have been a significant landmark of the city of Bielefeld and part of locals' life since 1926. After several renovations since its opening, in 2005, the maintaining company of the Brackwede open-air pools proposed to convert the pools into natural-water bodies through the application of natural water filtration systems. The pools are supplied from the natural underground stream of Ems-Lutter whose spring water is physically and biologically purified by natural mineral soil filter and water plants. Chlorine is prohibited in this pool - the nature itself ensures water quality (1). Since 2009, the Natural pool of Brackwede offers natural facilities for swimming and other water-related activities besides cultural, sport and recreational opportunities for all (1).

Address

Osnabrücker Str. 63 a, OT Quelle
33649 Bielefeld
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

POINT (8.490125 51.997518)

POINT (8.491842 51.997036)

POINT (8.492046 51.997294)

POINT (8.492346 51.997353)

POINT (8.493118 51.99839)

POINT (8.492013 51.998615)

POINT (8.49177 51.998333)

POINT (8.491191 51.998379)

POINT (8.491073 51.998253)

POINT (8.490923 51.998068)

POINT (8.490429 51.997691)

POINT (8.490204 51.997658)

NBS area image

Source of NBS area image

http://naturbad-brackwede.de/ueberblick.htm

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature

Website of the intervention

http://naturbad-brackwede.de/

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

2003

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2006

End date of the intervention

2009

Present stage of the intervention

Completed

2. Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

1. Conversion of the Brackwede outdoor Pool into a 'natural pool' ideal for the recreation of Bielefeld citizens (1);
2. Clean the water by natural filtration (1);
3. Increase the amount of visitors to a natural pool (1).

Quantitative targets

Unknown

Monitoring indicators defined

1. Water temperature (3)
2. Number of visitors to the natural pool (1)

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Water management (SDG 6)

Improvements to water quality

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Habitat and biodiversity restoration

Green space creation and/or management

Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)

Inclusive governance

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Creation of opportunities for recreation

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Preservation of natural heritage

What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?

Species-focused

Ecosystem-focused

What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?

Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems

Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)

Restore native species

Implementation activities

1. The system of the natural water supply built (1)
2. The system of natural water cleansing provided by plants (1)
3. Divide the water body into swimmer and non-swimmer areas (1)
4. Installation of Geomatrix soil filters to supplement the natural water filtration (1)
5. Implementation of playground equipment, wooden pathways for visitors (1)
6. Transform the lawn to a hilly landscape with trees and the new wooden entrance building (1)

Type of NBS project

Creation of new green areas

Creation of semi-natural blue areas

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented

Blue infrastructure

Lakes/ponds

Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries

Green areas for water management

Swales and filter strips

What is the level of innovation / development of the NBS related to water management?

Medium / High: sustainable urban drainage systems which include water storage and diverts water flooding

Vegetation Type

Grass

Trees

Other

Please specify how many trees were planted

Unknown

Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS

Beach volleyball field
Showers, changing rooms,
Toddlers area

Amenities offered by the NBS

Playgrounds

Sports areas and equipment

Swimming areas

Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)

Other

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Regulating services

Water purification / filtration

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Cultural services

Tourism

Aesthetic appreciation

Inspiration for culture, art and design

Recreation

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries

Non-government organisation/Civil Society

Citizens or community groups

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Non-government actors

Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches

Private sector/Corporate/Business

Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative

The project initiated by the private company of Bielefelder Bäder und Freizeit GmbH that took over the operation of the baths and ice rinks from the city of Bielefeld in 1997 with the support of the non-profit organisation Naturbad Brackwede eV. Based on the plans, the installation of the ecological Geomix soil filtration system was commissioned to the partner company EKO-Plant (1).

Key actors - initiating organization

Non-government organisation/civil society

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Non-government organisation/civil society

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Citizens or community group

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used

Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget

Dissemination of information and education

Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)

Policy drivers

NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy

NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan

NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Enablers

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project

Please specify other vegetation type

- native aquatic plants such as rushes, reeds, sedge (1,2)

Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project

Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project

Unknown

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-financing governance arrangements

Yes

Co-governance arrangement

An association

Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?

Set up specifically for this NBS

Financing

Total cost

€2,000,000 - €4,000,000

What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?

3.2 million Euro

What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?

Unknown

What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?

Unknown

Please specify cost savings

Unknown

Please specify total cost (EUR)

3.2 million Euro (1)

Source(s) of funding

Corporate investment

Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

Private Foundation/Trust

Type of fund(s) used

Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Membership or entrance fees

Non-financial contribution

Yes

Type of non-financial contribution

Provision of labour

Who provided the non-financial contribution?

Other

Business models

Green heritage model

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer)

Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)

5. Innovation

Type of innovation

Technological

Product innovation

Process innovation

Please specify technological innovation

The swimming pool with natural water; Cleansing of water by plants are both innovations for Bielefeld green urban development (4).

Novelty level of the innovation

Unknown

Please specify novelty level of the innovation

Unknown

Replicability/Transferability

Unknown

Please specify Replicability/Transferability

Unknown

6. Evaluation and learning

Impacts, benefits

Environmental impacts

Water management and blue areas

Improved water quality

Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems

Green space and habitat

Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Description of environmental benefits

- The pools water quality naturally improved by the planting of native aquatic plants and implementation of natural filtration system (1)
- Natural water ecosystem restored by the planting of native aquatic (2).

Economic impacts

Unknown

Description of economic benefits

Unknown

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Indicators

4 000 visitors per day (1)

Environmental, social and economic impacts

Water management (SDG 6)

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Environmental quality

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Health and well-being (SDG 3)

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Analysis of specific impact categories

Job creation: The NBS created ...

No information available

Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

Unknown

Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?

No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project

COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the pandemic, the seasonal opening of the pools had to be delayed. In 2020, nn stead of the usual opening in May, the pool opened in June. (1).

Methods of impact monitoring

Process of recording NBS impacts

No evidence in public records

Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS

Unknown

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

Impact assessment mechanism

Name of any specific impact assessment tools

Unknown

Use of GIS in mapping impacts

No evidence in public records

Citizen involvement

Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation

Unknown

Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation

Unknown

Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment

Unknown

7. Sources

References

Web links relevant to the intervention

Official Website

BBF–Bielefelder Bäder und Freizeit GmbH

Blog feedback

News article

Documents relevant to the intervention

Attachment	Size
Brackwede cycling tour (528.51 KB)	528.51 KB

List of references

1. Naturbad Brackwede. (2017). Naturbad. Accessed August 31, 2020, http://naturbad-brackwede.de/.
2. Bielefelder Bäder und Freizeit GmbH. (2017). Accessed August 31, 2020, http://www.bbf-online.de/.
3. Cathmarshall.(2012). Two lidos under the Bielefeld sun. Mybielefeld. Accessed August, https://mybielefeld.wordpress.com/2012/06/.
4. Webwecker Bielefeld. (2004). Baden gehen in Brackwede. Accessed August 31, 2020, http://webwecker.info/entry_20569.0.html.
5. Outdooractive. (2016). Bielefeld Radtour - Bielefelder Südwesten. Outdooractive. Accessed August 31, 2020, https://www.outdooractive.com/de/radtour/teutoburger-wald/bielefeld-radtour--bielefelder-suedwesten/2805326/.

Interview comments

Awaiting for the information for the section 6

Comments and notes

Public Images

Source: https://www.nw.de/lokal/bielefeld/brackwede/22208904_Naturbad-Brackwede-bleibt-weiter-geschlossen.html

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Naturbad.Brackwede.aktuell/photos/d41d8cd9/1421756481277524/

Source: https://www.facebook.com/Naturbad.Brackwede.aktuell/photos/a.365652326887950/1421578237962015/?type=3&theater

Source: https://www.dp-mediendesign.de/5438-naturbad-brackwede-bei-bielefeld/

Please specify other source of non-financial contribution

Naturbad Brackwede eV.