1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Frankfurt am Main
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Schwanheimer Düne
Short description of the intervention
The Schwanheimer dune is one of the few inland dunes in Europe. Sand, silver grass and gnarled pines shape the landscape, but also orchards and ponds are part of it (8). The area was designated as a nature reserve by the State of Hesse in 1984. Since its expansion in 2002, it now covers 58.5 hectares. Since 2003 it has also been protected as a Flora-Fauna Habitat area under European law contributing to the Natura2000 landscape (8). An approximately 400-meter-long boardwalk made of chestnut wood leads through the center of the dune on which visitors can enjoy nature on site - without harming it (8, 10). It was built in 1999 and completely rebuilt in 2017 with a lot of effort on the old route (8).
Address

Schwanheimer Düne, Höchster Weg 70
60529 Frankfurt am Main
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 (8.55319 50.091979)
POINT (8.554048 50.089556)
POINT (8.55319 50.087023)
POINT (8.554649 50.08493)
POINT (8.553791 50.083718)
POINT (8.55525 50.082176)
POINT (8.56173 50.085233)
POINT (8.563576 50.087133)
POINT (8.567095 50.088344)
POINT (8.568468 50.089749)
POINT (8.567524 50.090437)
POINT (8.563943 50.090681)
POINT (8.561289 50.090621)
POINT (8.555541 50.089697)
POINT (8.555481 50.092244)
Total area
585000.00m²
NBS area
585000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature
Website of the intervention
https://frankfurt-greencity.de/en/environment-frankfurt/nature-conservation/
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
Goals of the intervention
1. Preservation of the unique natural biotope of the sand dune (1);
2. Preserve and increase the number of species in the area (1);
3. Create a calm recreation space for Frankfurt citizens (2).
Quantitative targets
1. Increase the number of plant and animal species inhabiting the area to be protected/increased (1)
Monitoring indicators defined
1. The number of plant and animal species inhabiting the area (1)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Green space creation and/or management
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
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
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
Implementation activities
1. Expansion of the designated nature conservation area and protected natural habitat from 38 to 58.5 hectares (1);
2. Infrastructure for pedestrians introduced on the whole territory of the conservation area (4).
Type of NBS project
Protection of natural ecosystems
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
Lakes/ponds
Vegetation Type
Grass
Shrubs
Trees
Other
Please specify how many trees were planted
Unknown
Amenities offered by the NBS
Educational or biodiversity trails
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Tourism
Aesthetic appreciation
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Although the project is led by Frankfurt Environmental Department, non-government actors participated in the realization of the protection scheme by conducting observation. The observation was conducted by a non-governmental organization Flora Frankfurt (3). At the End of 2009, the project group Flora Frankfurt of the Senckenberg-Institute has released a "Flore work" Website, whose aim is to show all the wild growing plant species in Frankfurt. People who are interested can document the growing spot of a kind and so contribute to a growing "Flore work" (4).
Another remarkable non-governmental organisation contributing to the protection and conservation of the send dunes was the Frankfurt district association of the BUND. The association has cleared some areas in voluntary work and planted new fruit trees, employees of the rehabilitation workshop "Roter Hamm" of the Frankfurt association care for the trees and harvest fruit. Also, they commissioned a grazing plan to coordinate further de-bushing and care measures. Finally, in 1999, at the suggestion of BUND, the Bohlenweg a boardwalk was built through the core area of ​​the Schwanheimer dunes, on which visitors can enjoy nature on site - without harming it (10). The pathway was rebuilt in 2017 from the financial support of the RheinMain Regional Park (8).
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Citizen monitoring and review
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
The expansion of the SEU Fauna-Flora Habitats Directive (2003) aimed at protection and development of unique natural habitats and species (5). FFH areas and bird sanctuaries make up the coherent network of ecological nature reserves Natura 2000 8 (11).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
Federal Nature Conservation Act
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
The city of Frankfurt has its own Nature Conservation Policy (6), however, it is unknown, if it addresses a specific GI/NBS vision in regard to this particular project.
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Environmental regulation
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify
The city of Frankfurt has its own Nature Conservation Policy (6), however, it is unknown, if it addresses a specific GI/NBS vision in regard to this particular project.
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
Sand, orchards, meadows, silver grass fields (8)
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Both the BUND non-governmental organisation and the RheinMain Regional Park are regional institutions focusing on environmental protection (8,10).
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Acting on behalf of the Frankfurt am Main City Council, the Botanical Department at the Senckenberg Research Institute has been mapping biotope types throughout the entire city area since 1985 – with the exception of the railway installations, the nature conservation areas and a few larger industrial sites (7).
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
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
Unknown
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
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 overall budget is non-stated. The costs of the pedestrian infrastructure (planking path) comprised of 15 000 euro (4) part of which was financed by the RheinMain Regional Park (8).
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Unknown
Type of fund(s) used
Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of labour
Please specify other Business model
Protection of natural ecosystems
Business models
None of these
Other
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Unknown
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Water management and blue areas
Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Green space and habitat
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Increase in protected green space areas
Reduced biodiversity loss
Increased number of species present
Increased protection of threatened species
Enhanced support of pollination
Description of environmental benefits
- The ponds that were formed as a result of industrial activity but have been developing naturally for decades provides a home for the strictly protected common toad as well (8).
- With the expansion of the Schwanheimer Düne area, the size of the nature reserve increased from 38 hectares to almost 60 hectares protecting the local flora and fauna (8).
- With the designation of the area as a flora-fauna habitat since 2003, rare animals have also found a home, such as the oriole (9)
- The building and later the renovation of the boardwalk across the dunes and the requirement for visitors to stay on the highlighted route decrease human impact and disturbance on the local habitat (9)
- The ecosystem of the sand dunes is quite unique: the typical plant community is the ecologically valuable silver grass field the developed on the quartz sand mixture. With the conservation of this area, plant and animal species such as lichen, farm mustard, lizards, and pollinators like wasps and sand bees who set up their nurseries there are protected. (8,9,10)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Description of social and cultural benefits
- The Schwanheimer Düne is in close proximity to Frankfurt and thus is an important recreational destination for citizens. With the boardwalk, visiting the nature reserve become accessible for visitors which was temporarily closed for the public (8, 9, 10).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
1. The number of plant and animal species inhabiting the area to be protected/increased (1)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Environmental quality
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
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
Yes
Please specify the negative impacts
Some visitors abandon the designated boardwalk, have picnics in the sensitive vegetation of the silver grass and lichens, let their dogs run around disturbing native animals and leave their litter behind. This behaviour threatens the local ecosystem and disturbs the animals (11).
COVID-19 pandemic
Due to the lockdown and limited opportunities for socialization, more people visited the open space of the Schwanheimer Düne nature reserve from April 2020. However, some visitors did not keep the regulations, they abandon the designated boardwalk, have picnics in the sensitive vegetation of the silver grass and lichens, let their dogs run around disturbing native animals and leave their litter behind. This behaviour threatens the local ecosystem and disturbs the animals (11).
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://www.senckenberg.de/files/content/forschung/abteilung/botanik/flora-frank…
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Biotope mapping and biodiversity survey method conducted within the project "Frankfurt Flora" since 1985 on behalf of the city of Frankfurt's Environmental Department. The survey based on a comprehensive data base on the number and distribution of plant species in Frankfurt.
Link to the output of assessments
http://www.senckenberg.de/root/index.php?page_id=4384
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
Submission of monitoring data (citizen observation)
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Yes
Please specify
People who are interested can document the changes in the Schwanheimer Düne and so contribute to a systematic and area-wide record of Frankfurt’s plants within the "Flora Frankfurt" project (4).
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Schwanheimer Düne
Den Herbst in der Düne genießen (article)
Flora Frankfurt
Frankfurt's Flora
Schwanheimer Düne Wikipedia
Nature Conservation
Biotope mapping
List of references
1. Frankfurt Green City. (2017). Schwanheimer Düne : Stadt Frankfurt Am Main | Dezernat Umwelt Und Gesundheit | Umweltamt. Website not available in September 2020
2. Frankfurt Green City. (2011). Den Herbst in Der Düne Genießen | Höchster Kreisblatt. Höchster Kreisblatt. Website not available in September 2020
3. Frankfurt Green City. (2017). Frankfurt’s Flora : Stadt Frankfurt Am Main | Dezernat Umwelt Und Gesundheit | Umweltamt. Website not available in September 2020
4. Wikipedia. (2017). Schwanheimer Düne : Stadt Frankfurt Am Main | Dezernat Umwelt Und Gesundheit | Umweltamt. Accessed on September 30, 2020, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwanheimer_D%C3%BCne
5. Frankfurt Green City. (2017). Nature Conservation : Stadt Frankfurt Am Main | Dezernat Umwelt Und Gesundheit | Umweltamt. Website not available in September 2020
6. Frankfurt Green City. (2017). Biotope Mapping : Stadt Frankfurt Am Main | Dezernat Umwelt Und Gesundheit | Umweltamt. Website not available in September 2020
7. Flora Frankfurt. (2010). Flora Frankfurt. Accessed on September 30, 2020, http://www.flora-frankfurt.de/
8. Stadt Frankfurt am Main. (n/a). Schwanheimer Dune nature reserve. Accessed on September 30, 2020, https://frankfurt.de/themen/umwelt-und-gruen/orte/schutzgebiete/schwanheimer_duene
9. Regional Park RheinMain. (n/a). Schwanheimer Dunes. Accessed on September 30, 2020, https://www.regionalpark-rheinmain.de/portfolio-item/schwanheimer-duenen/
10. BUND Frankfurt. (n/a). Schwanheimer Dunes nature reserve. Accessed on September 30, 2020, https://www.bund-frankfurt.de/themen-und-projekte/natur-und-artenschutz/schwanheimer-duenen/
11. Vonhof, H. (2020). Schwanheimer Dünen in Gefahr: Nester zerstört, Müll zurück gelassen, Frankfurter Neue Presse, Accessed on September 30, 2020, https://www.fnp.de/frankfurt/frankfurt-corona-schwanheimer-duenen-naturschutzgebiet-besucher-muell-tiere-schaden-13827854.html
Comments and notes
Public Images
Schwanheim Dunes
Source: https://www.regionalpark-rheinmain.de/portfolio-item/schwanheimer-duenen/
Schwanheim Dunes
Source: https://frankfurt.de/themen/umwelt-und-gruen/orte/schutzgebiete/schwanheimer_duene
Schwanheim Dunes
Source: https://www.fnp.de/frankfurt/frankfurt-corona-schwanheimer-duenen-naturschutzgebiet-besucher-muell-tiere-schaden-13827854.html