1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Bremen
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Strandpark
Short description of the intervention
A project of the local government developed with EU and federal funds that aimed at the development of the green and beach area in the course of the refurbishment of the flood protection system. The initiative sought to provide a model project for urban flood protection, which can showcase that flood protection measures do not require a separation between city and water and new recreational spaces at the water and shore can be created instead. The project involves redevelopment of the shore area, enlargement of the public space at the shore with additional sand deposit and greenery planting (Ref. 1, 2). The bank area with a beach and recreational facilities opened in May 2019 (Ref. 5).
Address

Strandweg
28201 Bremen
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 (8.7553921742448 53.105779168946)
POINT (8.751411278904 53.103827596642)
POINT (8.7525365522241 53.103162571523)
POINT (8.7562163499231 53.105359786912)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Google Earth Pro (October 24, 2020, aerial image is dated to 2018 which is prior to completion of project). Coordinates offer a rough approximation of extent of NBS.
Total area
22000.00m²
NBS area
22000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
The space was previously occupied by stone fill which served as flood protection (Ref. 5).
Website of the intervention
https://www.ueberseestadt-bremen.de/de/page/ueberseestadt-uebersicht/waller-sand
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2017
End date of the intervention
2019
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
Goals of the intervention:
1) Development of the green and beach area in the course of the refurbishment of the flood protection system in order to provide additional recreational space and to anchor the history of the Bremen port more firmly in public awareness;
2) Creating a new attraction in the city, which will compensate for free-space deficiencies in the adjoining district of Gröpelingen and thus create impulses for the development of neighboring quarters in the Bremer West;
3) Providing a model project for the urban flood protection (necessary due to climate change), which shows how flood protection measures do not require a separation between city and water and new spaces for the water and shore experiences can be created instead;
4) Developing an urban hinge project, with the new recreation center bringing the city of Bremen and Überseestadt Gröpelingen and Walle closer together (Ref. 1, 3).
Quantitative targets
Building a beach park on a total area of ​​around 2.2 hectares; Providing approximately 150,000 cubic meters of sand to the shore (Ref. 4).
Monitoring indicators defined
Increase in access to the green recreational area in the city at the water (Ref. 2).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
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)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Real estate development
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Climate change adaptation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce the impacts of climate risks events on urban places and communities
Climate change adaptation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
Renaturalization of rivers and other water bodies
Implementation activities
Applying the so-called 'rinsing dikes' along the future new water edge, which are then rinsed with sand until the final level is reached; Installing a deck of building blocks on the water side in front of the rinsing dikes; Enlarging the public space at the shore with additional sand deposit; Redesigning the beach area; Greenery planting; Creating a barrier-free access to the waterfront in the lower beach area; Building new connections to the adjoining streets and squares; Building new play facilities (Ref. 1, 2).


Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests
Blue infrastructure
Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
Please specify "other Climate change adaptation activity"
Upgrade flood protection through widening river banks with sand and vegetation (Ref.1 )
Vegetation Type
Trees
Other
Please specify how many trees were planted
Unknown
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
"... a water playground and volleyball fields. The three former landing stages along the riverside path are accessible. From here you have - almost standing on the water - a magnificent view of the entire turning basin. The area around the pier tower is also more attractive and easier to access. So the path was renewed, which now lined with elms connects the lighthouse to the Übersee promenade. In addition, an ironwood climbing sculpture made from old harbor materials was placed at the beacon. The Bongossi sculpture offers new perspectives on the beach park as a seat or a viewpoint to be climbed. The Waller Sand is largely barrier-free accessible via the riverside path and the wooden plank paths. The way to the pier tower as well as one of the footbridges is barrier-free. Due to the busy shipping traffic, swimming will not be possible at this point (Ref. 5).
Amenities offered by the NBS
Sports areas and equipment
Viewing and outlook points
Other
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Regulating services
Coastal protection
Flood regulation
Cultural services
Tourism
Aesthetic appreciation
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Government-led
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Local government developed the project proposal and applied for funds from the federal government and the EU for its implementation (Ref. 1, 2).
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
EU body
National government
Local government/municipality
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Unknown
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
The project was supported by the European Union ERDF programme and the federal government (Ref. 3, 4).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
The project is supported by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Construction and Nuclear Safety as well as the European ERDF Program within the framework of the federal program "National Projects of Urban Development - Future Investment Program" (Bundesprogramm Nationale Projekte des Städtebaus) (Ref. 3, 4).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
Local government developed the project proposal on its own initiative (Ref. 1).
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify other vegetation type
Dunes overgrown with pine trees, beach grass and sea buckthorn (Ref. 5).
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
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
Yes
Please specify
The project is co-financed (85%) by the federal program "National Projects of Urban Development - Future Investment Program" and the European Regional Development Fund). The rest of the funds come from the local government (Ref. 1, 2).
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
A fund / grant
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Already in place
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
9 800 000 €
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)
"The development of the Waller Sand resulted in costs of almost 9.8 million euros. To finance the project, the city of Bremen was able to acquire a substantial amount of third-party funding - almost 78 percent of the costs are borne by the federal government and the European Fund for Regional Development" (Ref. 5).
Source(s) of funding
EU funds
Public national budget
Public local authority budget
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Risk reduction model
Vacant space model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Type of innovation
Technological
Infrastructural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
An infrastructural innovation that changes the stone shore into the 'soft edge' - a gentle transition between land and water - with sand, tree plantings and recreational areas that provide an opportunity to access and utilize the sea shore by the public in the ways not possible before (Ref. 2).

Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is not referred to as being transferred to new initiative(s)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
Water management and blue areas
Increased protection against flooding
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Description of environmental benefits
Climate change:
-Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters: "The beach park combines urban planning aspects, local recreation and the increased flood protection required by climate change. Necessary and beautiful things are very well combined here" (Ref. 4).

Water management and blue areas:
-Increased protection against flooding: "A slowly sloping backfill of sand then runs from the flood protection wall into the water" (Ref. 5). "It is a model project for sustainable and urban flood protection that creates new spaces, promotes the experience of the water and the shore zone and avoids a separation of city and water" (Ref. 5).

Green space and habitat:
-Increased green space area: The beach park includes trees and beach grass. The area was previously occupied by gravel fill (Ref. 1).
Economic impacts
Stimulate development in deprived areas
Description of economic benefits
Stimulate development in deprived areas: "A city-wide point of attraction will be created that will showcase the historic harbor silhouette, compensate for the open space deficits in the neighboring Gröpelingen district and thus create impetus for the development of the neighboring quarters in the west of Bremen" (Ref. 5).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
Description of social and cultural benefits
Social justice and cohesion:
-Improved access to urban green space: Increased access to the green recreational area in the city at the water (Ref. 2).
-Increased opportunities for social interaction: "A city-wide point of attraction will be created" (Ref. 5).

Health and wellbeing:
-Gain in activities for recreation and exercise: Creating a barrier-free access to the waterfront in the lower beach area; Building new connections to the adjoining streets and squares; Building new play facilities (Ref. 1, 2). There is a water playground, volleyball courts, an iron climbing structure, and walking paths (Ref. 5). "Now it has become a local recreation area for leisure, relaxation and adventure!" (Ref. 5).

Cultural heritage and sense of place:
-Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure: "With a public green and beach area redesigned in the course of upgrading the flood protection, the unique opportunity is used to anchor the history of the port of Bremen more firmly in the public consciousness" (Ref. 5).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Changes in water level (ref 1)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Water management (SDG 6)
Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
A time lapse video of the entire construction process and impact on water level is available at Ref. 1.
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
No specific information available as of October 24, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Where can this data be accessed? Please include a link to a report or web-page.
https://www.efre-bremen.de/detail.php?gsid=bremen59.c.20497.de
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
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
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
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref.1 (city website)
Ref.2 (http://ueberseestadt-bremen.de)
Ref.3 (Bundesinstitut website)
Ref.4 (Senat's press release)
Ref. 5 (http://ueberseestadt-bremen.de updated)
List of references
1. Freie Hansestadt Bremen (2019). 'A beach for the Bremer West' ('Ein Strand für den Bremer Westen'). Available at:
http://www.efre-bremen.de/detail.php?gsid=bremen59.c.20497.de (Accessed: October 24, 2020).
2. Uberseestadt Bremen (n.d.). 'Soft edge - water oriented resort. Beach park in sight' ('Weiche Kante - wasserorientierter Naherholungsort. Strandpark in Sicht'). Available at: http://ueberseestadt-bremen.de/de/page/ueberseestadt-uebersicht/weiche_kante (Website not available in 2020).
3. Bundesinstitut fur Bau-, Stadt-, und Raumforschung (2020). 'National program of urban development projects' (Bundesprogramm Nationale Projekte des Städtebaus) Available at: https://www.bbsr.bund.de/BBSR/DE/FP/ZIP/NPS/NPS_node.html (Accessed: October 24, 2020).
4. Senate Press Office (2017). 'Start of the construction of the Beach Park's Soft edge' (Baubeginn für Strandpark Weiche Kante). Available at:
http://senatspressestelle.bremen.de/detail.php?gsid=bremen146.c.274770.de&asl=bremen02.c.732.de (Accessed: October 24, 2020).
5. Uberseestadt Bremen (2019). 'Waller Sand - water-oriented local recreation area Beach park opened!' (Waller Sand - wasserorientierter Naherholungsort Strandpark eröffnet!). Available at: https://www.ueberseestadt-bremen.de/de/page/ueberseestadt-uebersicht/waller-sand (Accessed: October 24, 2020).
Comments and notes
Comments
Sources provide contradictory information on size of NBS; Ref. 1 indicates 3 hectares compared to Ref. 4 which indicates 2.2 hectares.
Additional insights
"Construction work started in the summer of 2017, in spring 2019 all relevant construction work was completed and the beach park opened to the public. The entire implementation will take place by 2022 (complete planting and additional benches and seat walls)" (Ref. 5).
Public Images
A sandy beach with paths and vegetation alongside a river
https://www.ueberseestadt-bremen.de/de/page/ueberseestadt-uebersicht/waller-sand