Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex

1. General information

Location and description of the intervention

City or FUA

Essen

Region

Europe

Native title of the NBS intervention

Zeche Zollverein

Short description of the intervention

Zollverein is an abandoned colliery and coking plant near the center of Essen in Germany (Ref. 6). Since 1993 the mining here stopped, and the site was turned into a derelict area, so nature could win back its territory. Most of the railway tracks and the smaller industrial leftovers are now covered with moss, grass, and weeds (Ref. 4). After the site was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2001, it started being developed as a multifunctional cultural, tourist and recreational center keeping and developing biotopes that emerged over time (Ref. 11).

Address

Zeche Zollverein
45141 Essen
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 (7.0434037607667 51.484546144693)

POINT (7.0502286681793 51.490700436987)

POINT (7.0461691196822 51.493374863334)

POINT (7.0292831186566 51.489710615827)

NBS area image

Source of NBS area image

Google Earth Pro (October 29, 2020). Coordinates offer a rough approximation of extent of NBS.

Total area

700000.00m²

Type of area before implementation of the NBS

Industrial

Previous derelict area

Website of the intervention

https://www.nrw-tourism.com/a-zollverein-coal-mine

Timeline of intervention

Start date of the intervention (planning process)

pre-1990

Start date of intervention (implementation process)

2003

End date of the intervention

ongoing

Present stage of the intervention

Ongoing

Please specify "other" stage of the intervention

1986 the coal mine was shut down (1)
1993 the coking plant stopped operation and turned into a derelict area (1)
In 2001, the central shaft Zollverein XII, the Shafts 1/2/8 as well as the Zollverein Coking Plant were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1). The cooking plant starts to be developed as a multifunctional cultural and recreational center with a preservation and enhancement of biotopes emerged over time.
2003 The extensive refurbishment of the coal washery begins. The architects responsible are Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan
Architecture from Rotterdam as well as Böll and Krabel from Essen (1).
Now Interventions are still ongoing in some areas of the site, in particular, the redevelopment of buildings on the area of the Cooking
Plant and a new building for the Folkwang University of the Arts on Shaft 1/2/8 (12).

2. Objectives of the intervention

Goals of the intervention

1. To preserve the landmark of industrial culture of Ruhr region (Ref. 1)
2. To increase the number of tourist visits in the city (Ref. 1)
3. To preserve and increase the amount of highly endangered species in the industrial habitats of Essen (Ref. 2)
4. To offer replacement habitats for species and biotopes through integration into the concept of the protected monument (Ref. 2)
5. To attract innovative companies and design firms to the green post-industrial setting (Ref. 5)
6. To create open space for leisure and experience by combining post-industrial heritage with nature (Ref. 7)
7. To increase biodiversity at the former industrial brownfield (Ref. 7)

Quantitative targets

Unknown

Monitoring indicators defined

Number of a given species present (Ref. 3)

Sustainability challenge(s) addressed

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Habitat and biodiversity restoration

Habitat and biodiversity conservation

Green space creation and/or management

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Conversion of former industrial areas

Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)

Environmental education

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Economic development: service sectors

Tourism support

Employment/job creation

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure

Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?

Species-focused

Ecosystem-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

Promote environmentally-sound development in and around protected areas

Create new habitats

Protect species

Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species

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 endangered species

Implementation activities

1. The plant was shut down and natural biotopes were left to develop on the former industrial site (Ref. 4)
2. Master plan for reconstruction of the colliery developed (Ref. 5)
3. New walkways through the main railway yard of the coal mine constructed (Ref. 5)
4. Commercial redevelopment, musicalization, and the creation of green spaces (Ref. 6)
5. Natural tours at Zollverein organized (Ref. 9)
6. Almost 70 hectares offers facilities for leisure activities, such as a swimming pool, ice-skating rink, industrial nature, restaurants, and cafes provided (Ref. 12)

Type of NBS project

Transformation of previously derelict areas

3. NBS domains, ES and scale

NBS domain and interventions

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

Grey infrastructure featuring greens

Railroad bank and track greens

Parks and urban forests

Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces

Intentionally unmanaged areas

Abandoned spaces with growth of wilderness or greens

Vegetation Type

Trees

Please specify how many trees were planted

Unknown

Amenities offered by the NBS

Sports areas and equipment

Swimming areas

Educational or biodiversity trails

Cultural (museum, concert areas)

Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)

Services

Expected ecosystem services delivered

Habitat and supporting services

Habitats for species

Maintenance of genetic diversity

Cultural services

Tourism

Aesthetic appreciation

Inspiration for culture, art and design

Recreation

Scale

Spatial scale

Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level

Beneficiaries

Primary Beneficiaries

Local government/Municipality

Non-government organisation/Civil Society

Private sector/Corporate/Company

Citizens or community groups

Other

Please specify "other primary beneficiary"

1. Tourists
2. Developers

4. Governance and financing

Governance

Governance arrangements

Government-led

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

1. The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex was awarded the designation of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 and is monitored by the UNESCO representatives (Ref. 1)
2. The architects responsible for reconstruction and master plan for a project redevelopment is Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) from Rotterdam as well as Böll and Krabel from Essen (Ref. 1).
3. The private business and companies rent spaces in the factory (Ref. 1) Ref

Key actors - initiating organization

Local government/municipality

Citizens or community group

Other

Please specify other key actors – Initiating organization

After the city of Essen failed to sell the closed factory to Chinese investors, the city took responsibility for developing the area (and still owns the land). After the protests of citizens against the demolition of the factory took place in the 1990s (Ref. 6), the site was turned into a derelict area (Ref. 6) and later put under UNESCO protection and redeveloped.

Land owners

Public space owned by the city

Please specify other Key actors - Other stakeholders involved

Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)

Local government/municipality

Non-government organisation/civil society

Private sector/corporate actor/company

Other

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"

Natural biotopes that emerged since 1993 were preserved as a part of the complex of the mine. Legally it became possible due to UNESCO declaration that put the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen on the World Heritage List in 2001 (Ref. 1).

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

Yes

Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan

Zeche Zollverein is part of the greater regional plan Emscher Park for an obsolete industrial region in the German Ruhrgebiet (Ref. 5). Emscher Park is a regional network of parks, open spaces, and paths (Ref. 7). The plan is supposed to turn heavy industrialized Ruhr metropolis into a green region and attract leisure functions, culture, innovative companies and design firms to the green post-industrial setting (Ref. 7).

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

Yes

Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"

1. “North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) ERDF Objective 2 Programme 2000-06”, in which the “successful renewal of old (industrial sites) and setting-up of new infrastructures (innovation and technology centers, training facilities)” is mentioned as highly important (Ref. 12).
2. The strategy paper “Essen and the Ruhr Area: The development of tourism and the role of small firms and entrepreneurs 2010” identifies culture and (industrial) heritage as priorities for city tourism and the area’s sustainable development (Ref. 12).

Mandatory or voluntary intervention

Voluntary (spontaneous)

Intervention is mandatory

Spatial planning guidance

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

Unknown

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

Yes

Please specify

Regional-Verband Ruhr (RVR) manages industrial heritage redevelopment; protection and development of open spaces; regional business development; regional tourism agency; spatial observation; master planning; regional planning; environment within the Emscher Landscape Park project (Ref. 7). Since the Colliery Zollverein is developed within a larger framework of the Emscher Landscape Park, this Regional organization also participates in the management of the above-mentioned activities at the Colliery Zollverein.

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

“North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) ERDF Objective 2 Programme 2000-06” allocated €61 million out of €970 million of its funds to the redevelopment of Zollverein park (Construction stages 1-3: €24.691.000) (Ref. 12).

Co-finance for NBS

Yes

Co-financing governance arrangements

Unknown

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

Unknown

Financing

Total cost

More than €4,000,000

Please specify total cost (EUR)

The EU, the federal government, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the city of Essen, and the Regionalverband
Ruhr/Association of the Ruhr Area (RVR) have spent almost €316 million on land preparation, maintenance and conversion measures for buildings and facilities (1990-2014). In particular, €60 million has been invested by the ERDF for the transformation of the Zollverein site (Ref. 12).

Source(s) of funding

EU funds

Public national budget

Public regional 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

Vacant space model

Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?

Public actor (e.g. municipality)

5. Innovation

Type of innovation

System innovation

Please specify system innovation

Colliery Zollverein is the most significant example of the redevelopment of the former industrial site in Essen. The former mono-functional coal production was regenerated to a multifunctional area that includes large natural biotopes, recreational zones, as well as business, and tourist attractions (Ref. 1).

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

Green space and habitat

Increased green space area

Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems

Reduced biodiversity loss

Increased protection of threatened species

Restoration of derelict areas

Description of environmental benefits

Green space and habitat:
-Increased green space area/Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems (local habitats for local species): To preserve and increase the amount of highly endangered species in the industrial habitats of Essen (Ref. 2). Offer replacement habitats for species and biotopes through integration into the concept of the protected monument (Ref. 2)
-Reduction of biodiversity loss/Increased protection of threatened species: The endangered peregrine falcon has returned to North Rhine-Westphalia after being temporarily extinct here, there are currently four breeding pairs in Essen (Ref. 2).
-Restoration of derelict areas: project increased biodiversity at the former industrial brownfield (Ref. 7).

Economic impacts

Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)

More sustainable tourism

Attraction of business and investment

Description of economic benefits

-Increase of jobs/Attraction of business and investment: 1,000 new jobs and 170 enterprises created (Ref. 12).
-More sustainable tourism: More than 1.5 million visitors from Germany and abroad every year (Ref. 1).

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Indicators

1. Number of visitors from Germany and abroad every year (Ref. 1).
2. Species counts, number of breeding pairs in Essen (Ref. 2)
3. Number of new jobs and enterprises created (Ref. 12)

Environmental, social and economic impacts

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

Economic development and employment (SDG 8)

Environmental quality

Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)

Regeneration, land-use and urban development

Analysis of specific impact categories

Job creation: The NBS created ...

Paid employment positions

Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...

Improved access to green and/or blue spaces

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

No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project

COVID-19 pandemic

Though the site had opened from July to October, as of October 30, 2020 Ref. 1 indicates the following: "From next Monday, November 2nd, up to and including Monday, November 30th 2020, all museums at the Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site will be closed. All events and the guided tour program have been canceled during this time. Against the background of the new federal and state ordinances to contain the corona pandemic, the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein will be closed as a cultural and leisure location throughout November. The Ruhr Museum in the coal washing plant as well as its branch offices, the Ruhr visitor center and the Red Dot Design Museum are affected. The Zollverein tours of the colliery and coking plant have also been canceled".

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

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports

Yes

Link to monitoring/evaluation reports

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/wp-content/uploads/2015/06…

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

Yes

Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment

Online Forum

Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment

Community reviews on:
1. The World Heritage Site blog: http://www.worldheritagesite.org/list/id/975 (4)
2. TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187375-d320073-r343981367-Zollverein_Coal_Mine_Industrial_Complex_in_Essen-Essen_North_Rhine_Westphalia.html (8)

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

ZOLLVEREIN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Section 04: Nature and biodiversity

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen

ZOLLVEREIN

Zeche Zollverein revisited

Planning and Experimental Knowledge Production: Zeche Zollverein as an Urban La…

Landscape Regeneration Metropolis Ruhr Strategic and operational approaches Reg…

Review of Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex

ZOLLVEREIN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE HEART OF THE RUHR AREA

Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen

Documents relevant to the intervention

Attachment	Size
Zollverein: Preservation through conversion (546.13 KB)	546.13 KB

List of references

1. Zollverein (2020). ZOLLVEREIN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Available at: https://www.zollverein.de/zollverein-unesco-world-heritage-site/ (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
2. EGC (2017). Section 04: Nature and biodiversity. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/04_Application-EGC-2017_Nature-and-Biodiversity_ESSEN.pdf (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
3. UNESCO (2001). Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen. UNESCO. Available at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/975 (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
4. World Heritage Site (2017). ZOLLVEREIN. World Heritage Site. Available at: http://www.worldheritagesite.org/list/id/975 (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
5. Urban Change (2009). Zeche Zollverein revisited. Urban Change
Cities in Transformation. Available at: http://urbanchange.eu/2009/04/28/zeche-zollverein-revisited/ (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
6. PHILIPP DORSTEWITZ. (2013). Planning and Experimental Knowledge Production: Zeche Zollverein as an Urban Laboratory. Available at: http://aurak.ac.ae/publications/Planning-and-Experimental-Knowledge-Production-Zeche-Zollverein-as-an-Urban-Laboratory.pdf (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
7. Regionalverband Ruhr and Bothmann Frank (n.d.). Landscape Regeneration Metropolis Ruhr Strategic and operational approaches Regionalverband Ruhr Frank Bothmann. Available at: http://docplayer.net/34703645-Landscape-regeneration-metropolis-ruhr-strategic-and-operational-approaches-regionalverband-ruhr-frank-bothmann.html (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
8. Trip Advisor (2017). Review of Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen. Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187375-d320073-r343981367- Zollverein_Coal_Mine_Industrial_Complex_in_Essen-Essen_North_Rhine_Westphalia.html (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
9. Wikipedia (2017). Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zollverein_Coal_Mine_Industrial_Complex (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
10. Zollverein (2020). ZOLLVEREIN UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. THE HEART OF THE RUHR AREA. Available at: http://www.zollverein.de/uploads/assets/58061107695498635a008aac/inet_379_027_Sales_Guide_2016_Flyer-DINA4_RZ_E_EZ.pdf (Website not available in 2020).
11. WHC (2001). Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen. Available at: http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/nominations/975.pdf (Accessed: October 29, 2020).
12. Zollverein: Preservation through conversion (Document attached).

Comments and notes

Comments

1. It is not merely a city- level strategy, but for the local trends in environmental policy it is important that in 2017, the City of Essen is recognized as “The European Green Capital”. In line with other events connected to local green policy, the Ruhr Museum and the Zollverein Foundation present the central exhibition “Green in the City of Essen” from 21 May until 27 August 2017, which examines the different green concepts in the City of Essen from the beginnings of industrialization to the present day (10).

Pictures of the NBS

/sites/default/files/nbs/images/zollverein_essen.jpg

Public Images

Industrial buildings surrounded by foliage

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/975/gallery/