1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Hamburg
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Friedhofsentwicklung Ohlsdorf (Ohlsdorf 2050)
Short description of the intervention
Due to the changing burial culture and the declining burial rates, Hamburg decided to establish a long-term development strategy called Ohlsdorf 2050 for the Ohlsdorf cemetery. The aim of the project is to preserve and develop the cemetery as a cultural landmark and a garden monument. The municipality aims to limit the burial services to a 120-hectare large area and develop a cemetery park in the remaining 280-hectare area. The strategy is being developed together with the locals, relatives of interred and experts. The participant's ideas included among others places for outdoor sports, allotment gardens and planting indigenous species. In any case, the entire cemetery will be preserved and maintained according to principles of garden heritage conservation and nature protection. Places for interaction, meditation, reflection and recreation will play a dominant role. (Reference 1, 2). In September 2020, the result of the consultations and the strategy itself is still unknown.
Address

Friedhof Ohlsdorf
Fuhlsbüttler Str. 756
22337 Hamburg
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 (10.03528 53.62787)
POINT (10.07811 53.63154)
POINT (10.07279 53.61942)
POINT (10.03914 53.61275)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Reference 2
Total area
4000000.00m²
NBS area
2800000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Public Greenspace Area
Other
Please specify “other type of area” before implementation of the NBS
Cemetery (Reference 1, 2)
Website of the intervention
http://www.hamburg.de/ohlsdorf2050
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2014
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
unknown
End date of the intervention
unknown
Present stage of the intervention
In planning stage
Goals of the intervention
- working out, with the involvement of locals, a comprehensive long-term development strategy for the Ohlsdorf Cemetery.
- finding new form of use for the cemetery that supports the outdoor recreation of the locals and is based on social consensus
- preserving and developing the cemetery as a cultural landmark, a garden monument, and the world largest park cemetery with the size of 400 hectares
- balancing cultural heritage protection, nature development, funeral services and economic aspects
- nature protection measures as well as artistic and cultural projects (Reference 1)
Quantitative targets
- restricting burial services to 120 hectares and developing the rest (280 hectare) to be a cemetery park that support recreational functions (Reference 1)
Monitoring indicators defined
- social acceptance of the new function
- size of the green areas in hectares (Reference 1, 2)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Improving mental health
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of natural heritage
Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Preservation of historic traditions
Implementation activities
The ideas of the citizens have been collected online and via mail and planning workshops were organized. The planning workshops are called “neighbourhood cafés”, where citizens have an opportunity to be informed directly by the maintainers of the cemetery about the plans, ask questions and offer their own ideas. (Reference 6) The citizens' ideas included the implementation of a farm for children, nature reserve, places for outdoor sports, allotment gardens and community gardens, a web-based information system about the plants in the cemetery, planting indigenous plants and so on (Reference 2) Which ideas will be implemented is unknown. (in September 2020).
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Maintenance and management of urban nature
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests
Community gardens and allotments
Allotments
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
Unknown
Vegetation Type
Trees
Garden beds
Other
Please specify how many trees were planted
unknown
Amenities offered by the NBS
Benches and drinking water stations
Playgrounds
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Mental and physical health and wellbeing
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Spiritual and / or emblematic (symbolic, sacred and / or religious)
Social and community interactions
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Please specify other local relevant strategy
Redevelopment strategy for the cemetery and the large cemetery park (Reference 1, 2)
Governance
Governance arrangements
Government-led
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The overall project of the Ohlsdorf 2050 sustainability strategy is local government-led and funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety as part of the “National Urban Development Projects” program. (Reference 7)
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
National government
Local government/municipality
Citizens or community group
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Yes
Please specify the "Regional Directive/Strategy"
In 2011, Hamburg was chosen to be the Green Capital of the EU (Reference 1). This programme, which is in line with the 7th Environmental Action Program of the EU aims to promote and award commitment and innovation to resolve environmental challenges in cities (Reference 3). The redevelopment of the Ohlsdorf cemetery is in line with the green strategy that the Green Capital Award projected and it is mentioned in the selective report of the city ("Hamburg: European Green Capital: Five years on") being published in 2016 (Reference 1).
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
The project is in line with the city's urban development strategy (Hamburg 2030) being published in 2014 that aims for a green, inclusive and growing city (Reference 4).
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
In 2011, Hamburg was chosen to be the Green Capital of the EU (Reference 1). This programme, which is in line with the 7th Environmental Action Program of the EU aims to promote and award commitment and innovation to resolve environmental challenges in cities (Reference 3). The redevelopment of the Ohlsdorf cemetery is in line with the green strategy that the Green Capital Award projected and it is mentioned in the selective report of the city ("Hamburg: European Green Capital: Five years on") being published in 2016 (Reference 1).
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
The aim of the project itself is to develop a strategy for the sustainable development of the cemetery (Ohsldorf 2050) as the largest park cemetery of the world that gives new outdoor recreational functions to the area in an approximately 280 hectare large area (Reference 1).
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Urban redevelopment plan
Other
Please specify other vegetation type
indigenous plants (Reference 2)
green areas (Reference 1, 2)
allotment gardens; indigenous species. (Reference 1, 2)
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
Yes
Please specify
The description of the project writes: "The plans focus on extensive participatory processes involving local residents and relatives of the interred, international scientific exchange, and the pooling of resources in the search for new forms of use that may be appropriate for the cemetery" (Reference 1). The city plans to organize an international conference in late 2017 about the topic (Reference 2).
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The project gained 2 million EUR federal funding in 2014 in the 'Förderung von Investitionen in nationale Projekte des Städtebaus 2014' program for monuments and buildings of national importance (eg. UNESCO - World Heritage), energetic measures in the neighborhood and greenery in the city. (Reference 5).
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
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 total cost is unknown, however, it is certain that the project gained 2 million EUR federal funding in 2014 in the 'Förderung von Investitionen in nationale Projekte des Städtebaus 2014' program for monuments and buildings of national importance, energetic measures in the neighborhood and greenery in the city. (Reference 5).
Source(s) of funding
Public national budget
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Please specify other type of fund used
The project gained 2 million EUR federal funding in 2014 in the 'Förderung von Investitionen in nationale Projekte des Städtebaus 2014' program for monuments and buildings of national importance ( eg UNESCO - World Heritage), energetic measures in the neighborhood and greenery in the city. (Reference 5).
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Green heritage model
Please specify other environmental impact
Increased conservation of habitats (Reference 2)
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Type of innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Cultural innovation
Please specify social innovation
The project aims to find new forms of use for the cemetery.It will result in the redevelopment of world's largest park cemetery with the size of 400 hectare (Reference 1, 2). The new functions will be a result of social consensus (Reference 1, 2).
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is copied/derived from previous initiative(s) with substantial adaptation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The brochure of the project brings the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, the De Nieuwe Ooster in Amsterdam and the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati as an example for new forms of use of cemeteries (Reference 2).
Replicability/Transferability
Unknown
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
unknown
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Other
Description of environmental benefits
Ohlsdorf 2050 is fundamentally a sustainability strategy which is expected to increase conservation efforts of urban habitats, biodiversity and the park’s rich natural heritage. (Reference 1) Out of the ideas that have arisen, it is becoming clear that even the extensively used cemetery parking areas will be more scenic and natural. Meadows, orchards, fringes or trees and woods can be created on these areas. Waters close to nature and shaped by the landscape will emphasize the natural character of these areas. Here, too, new resting places, such as in the orchards, could arise. (Reference 2) However, the strategy itself is not yet known. (in September 2020)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved social cohesion
Increased opportunities for social interaction
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Health and wellbeing
Improved physical health
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Promotion of cultural diversity
Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
Increased awareness of flora and fauna as culturally and historically meaningful
Description of social and cultural benefits
The focus is on securing, maintaining and restoring existing landscape arrangements that are historically significant in terms of garden history (Althamburg Memorial Cemetery, rose garden), and thus increasing awareness of nature as culturally and historically meaningful. Another focus is developing new usage concepts: park meadows, play areas, flower-picking fields, urban gardens, gastronomy, accommodation, studios (e.g. for school classes) and space for temporary events (readings, concerts, exhibitions, film screenings), to provide opportunities for social interaction and recreation. (Reference 2) However, these are only likely outcomes of the development of the strategy, as the strategy itself is unknown (in September 2020).
The new functions will be a result of social consensus (Reference 1, 2).
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Indicators
unknown
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Environmental quality
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Please specify other method used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
The city plans to organize an international conference in late 2017 about the topic (Reference 2).
The ideas of the citizens have been collected online and via mail and planning workshops were organized. The planning workshops are called “neighbourhood cafés”, where citizens have an opportunity to be informed directly by the maintainers of the cemetery about the plans, ask questions and offer their own ideas. (Reference 6) The citizens' ideas included the implementation of a farm for children, nature reserve, places for outdoor sports, allotment gardens and community gardens, a web-based information system about the plants in the cemetery, planting indigenous plants and so on (Reference 2) Which ideas will be implemented is unknown. (in September 2020).

Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown (September 5, 2020)
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Focus groups
Questionnaire surveys / online surveys
Other
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
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Focus Group
Online Forum
Other
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
"The plans focus on extensive participatory processes involving local residents and relatives of the interred, international scientific exchange, and the pooling of resources in the search for new forms of use that may be appropriate for the cemetery" (Reference 1).
The ideas of the citizens have been collected online and via mail and planning workshops were organized. The planning workshops are called “neighbourhood cafés”, where citizens have an opportunity to be informed directly by the maintainers of the cemetery about the plans, ask questions and offer their own ideas. (Reference 6) The citizens' ideas included the implementation of a farm for children, nature reserve, places for outdoor sports, allotment gardens and community gardens, a web-based information system about the plants in the cemetery, planting indigenous plants and so on (Reference 2) Which ideas will be implemented is unknown. (in September 2020).

Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Reference 1: Hamburg – European Green Capital: 5 Years On: The city takes furth…
Reference 2: Documentation of the participatory process
Reference 5: Federal funds
Reference 7: Das Projekt: Alles über Ohlsdorf 2050
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Reference 6: Ohlsdorf 2050 Nachbarschaftscafés September 2018 Kurzdokumentation (466.13 KB) 466.13 KB
List of references
1. Ministry of Environment and Energy. (2016). Hamburg – European Green Capital: 5 Years On: The city takes further. Hamburg: Ministry of Environment and Energy. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Hamburg-EGC-5-Years-On_web.pdf [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
2. Hamburger Friedhöfe AöR, Ministry of Environment and Energy. (2016). Ohlsdorf 2050: Hamburg-Ohlsdorf Stästebauliche Entwicklungs- und Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie für den grössten Parkfriedhof der Welt. Dokumentation des Beteiligungsprozesses. Hamburg: Hamburger Friedhöfe AöR, Ministry of Environment and Energy. Available at: https://geoportal-hamburg.de/beteiligung_ohlsdorf/sites/default/files/public/downloads/OHL_Dokumentation_Beteiligung.pdf [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
3. The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment. (2014). Hamburg 2030, Green, inclusive, growing city by the water: Perspectives on Urban development in Hamburg. Hamburg: The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Ministry of Urban Development and the Environment. Available at: https://www.hamburg.de/contentblob/4357518/9ac11792edd8de17e3119e1396474718/data/broschuere-perspektiven-englisch).pdf;jsessionid=5568EF374D6BAFE5A8495884F7EB645F.liveWorker2 [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
4. ec.europe.eu. (2017). European Green Capital. [online] Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/index_en.htm [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
5. Bbsr.bund.de. (2017). Förderung von Investitionen in nationale Projekte des Städtebaus 2014. [online] Available at: http://www.bbsr.bund.de/BBSR/DE/FP/ZIP/NPS/2014/foerderprojekte-2014/01-start.html?nn=1202346&notFirst=true&docId=1344838 [Accessed: 07 Sept. 2020]
6. Hamburg. (2018) Ohlsdorf 2050 Nachbarschaftscafés September 2018 Kurzdokumentation. Hamburg: AöR.
7. Behörde für Umwelt, Klima, Energie und Agrarwirtschaft. (nd.) Das Projekt: Alles über Ohlsdorf 2050. [online]. Available at: https://www.hamburg.de/ohlsdorf2050/5441946/ohlsdorf-2050-hintergrund/ [Accessed. 07 Sept. 2020]
Additional comments
2020 comment:
Information could not be found on what the strategy means in terms of implementation and expected impacts despite all efforts. It seems that the strategy is not yet complete and negotiations are still underway.
Comments and notes
Pictures of the NBS
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Public Images
Ohlsdorf cemetery rose garden
Ohlsdorf cemetery rose garden
https://www.germany.travel/media/content/specials_1/spirituelles_reisen/tradtionundbrauchtum/mythologiemagischeorte/ohlsdorferfriedhof/header_text1_Rosengarten_Ohlsdorf.jpg
Map of Ohlsdorf cemetery park
Map of Ohlsdorf cemetery park
Reference 2: https://geoportal-hamburg.de/beteiligung_ohlsdorf/sites/default/files/public/downloads/OHL_Dokumentation_Beteiligung.pdf